FOO FIGHTERS Vinyl & CDs

Review: Recorded in the wake of drummer Taylor Hawkins death, Foo Fighters 11th studio album has been trailed as their "most personal yet". That's understandable, and lyrically Hawkins' tragic demise looms large - at times, the songs sound like the band going through the grieving process in public. It's a bold statement, with music - produced by long-time collaborator Greg Kunstin and featuring Dave Grohl on drums - that self-consciously references the raw energy, fuzzy riffs, and sweat-soaked energy of the band's 1995 debut album. Only time will tell where it sits in their catalogue - in terms of greatest moments, at least - but on first listen it's a raw, raging, melancholic alt-rock masterpiece.

Review: Remarkably, the last Foo Fighters retrospective dropped way back in 2009, so this career-spanning 'best of' is undoubtedly well overdue. As a starting point for exploring their catalogue - or, for confirmed fans, having all the band's best bits in one place - The Essential Foo Fighters does an excellent job. There are naturally plenty of grungy, high-energy, guitar-laden alternative rock smashers present - 'Rope', 'Monkey Wrench' and so on - but also nods towards the more classic rock-orientated end of their work ('Cold Day In The Sun', the Beatles-esque 'Big Me'), punky and funky indie club anthems ('All My Life') and a smattering of acoustic and semi-acoustic gems ('Waiting On a War' and a wonderfully sparse, folksy take on 'Everlong'). Like Ronseal products, it does exactly what it says on the tin.