Dee Gees (Foo Fighters)
Hail Satin
Sony
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Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters have truly reached a point where they can do no wrong β so much so, that such a sentiment feels redundant. Their latest Record Store Day release, Hail Satin sees the rock legends take a nod from Zakk Wyldeβs Black Sabbath tribute, Zakk Sabbath, and pay homage to disco icons, The Bee Gees, as the Dee Gees (get it? Dave Grohl? D.G.? The Dee Gees). The exclusive LP has since been released digitally and is half Bee Geeβs cover album and half Foo Fighters live record performed in studio in celebration of Medicine At Midnight, released earlier this year.
The first half of Hail Satin sees the band perform five Bee Gees tracks, including some of their biggest of hits β βYou Should Be Dancingβ, βNight Feverβ, and βMore Than A Womanβ β alongside two deep cuts β βTragedyβ and βShadow Dancingβ. The absence of βStayinβ Aliveβ is curious; however the choice to include lesser known works denotes Grohlβs love for the quintessential disco group. Upon first listen of the opening track and lead single, βYou Should Be Dancingβ, Hail Satin will immediately strike you as weird, but that seems to be the point. Grohl is intentionally pushing the boundaries as a rock and roll spokesperson by indulging in his love for disco (there are cultural layers to the significance of a rockstar doing this, much of which has to do with the homophobia and misogyny that surrounded rock and was targeted at disco in the late β70s and early β80s, all of which Iβm sure Grohl was aware of, making this far more powerful of a performance). I can speak of the bandβs use of synths and distorted guitars or how they groove together like a seasoned dance rock band, but all of that feels secondary to the amount of fun that is exploding from this recording. Grohl is having the time of his life imitating Andy Gibb and if you arenβt having an absolute blast while listening to Hail Satin, then you need to call a doctor because youβre dying inside.
The second half of the record captures a live performance from the band at 606 Studios. Having only been able to play one show, a triumphant return of live music at Madison Square Garden, this year, this live set consists of five tracks, all from their latest studio album, Medicine At Midnight. It goes without saying that the band sounds incredible β Taylor Hawkins drum tone is particularly fat and punchy while Grohlβs vocals leave it all on the line – and are in fine touring shape. They sound hungry for the stage as they blast through the hard hitting βMaking A Fireβ, the ballad that erupts into a full on rocker, βWaiting On A Warβ, and the funky βCloudspotterβ. The hard rock sound of the band is only enhanced by the recent addition of the lush backing vocals which add to the pop rock flavour of the album. Of the five live cuts, βShame Shameβ is the definite highlight as the Foo Fighters bring one of their most experimental alternative rock tracks to life in superb fashion. This feels like only a teaser of whatβs to come from the Foo Fighters when they can take to world by storm once again, one arena at a time.
The live half of Hail Satin feels like a bonus to a special moment in time. While the album as a whole is fantastic, the real magic to Hail Satin is in the Bee Gees tribute, so much so, that a full Bee Gees cover album would be the only way that Grohl and company could have topped what they did. Hail Satin is truly a unique record that is unlike anything else youβd expect from a hard rock band. Rather than take themselves too seriously, Foo Fighters have experiments and pushed the musical and cultural boundaries to their limits and have returned with absolute lightning in a bottle. All hail the Foo Fighters and the eternal sound of the Bee Gees!
Artist Links
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DEE GEES (FOO FIGHTERS) – HAIL SATIN
Gerrod Harris