Foo Fighters

By Evan Thorne

Dave Grohl has finally outgrown Nirvana, after logging almost twice as much time as a Foo Fighter than drumming for the grunge legends.

One of Nirvana’s most important albums was “MTV Unplugged in New York,” a live acoustic album. It was the one feather that the Foo Fighters’ cap never had… until now.

“Skin & Bones” follows the same format as “Unplugged in New York,” but with some differences the most important being that these are emphatically not stripped-down versions. Nearly all of these songs are more powerful and bombastic than their electric counterparts.

Opening with a pair of songs from the acoustic half of “In Your Honor,” the disc begins subtly with the haunting “Razor.” The fourth track, “Marigold,” is a Nirvana tune, something Grohl promised he would never do.

The rest of the album continues to build and build, from the toned-down version of the band’s super-hit “My Hero” through drummer Taylor Hawkins’ vocal stint on “Cold Day In The Sun” to the eerie title track. The true standout track — just as it was in 1997 — is “February Stars.” The slow-starting number builds to an epic climax, somehow even more dramatic than on the original. The three-song encore features a chilling rendition of “Friend Of A Friend” (the only song Grohl will admit is about Kurt Cobain), a visceral solo acoustic version of “Best Of You,” and a spine-tingling closing “Everlong.”

The Foo Fighters may never be regarded as important as Nirvana, but with this absolutely phenomenal live album, Grohl should hopefully be able to escape his past.