After suffering a horrific heartbreak, an iconic rock band returned with new music.

The Foo Fighters released their latest album, “But Here We Are,” on June 2, 2023. Comprised of 10 tracks, this is the first album released by the group after their beloved drummer, Taylor Hawkins, tragically passed away in 2022. Despite some underwhelming tunes, the group managed to return from tremendous loss with an album that delivers several brilliant and unique tracks.

Bursting open with an explosion of excitement was “Rescued”. Boasting a powerful and passionate performance by singer Dave Grohl, the energetic track immediately captivates listeners with its music. In classic Foo Fighters fashion, the song masterfully moves between a slow and fast pace. In short, “Rescued” is the perfect opening to an album.

Continuing the energy is “Under You.” Featuring an upbeat and thrilling guitar performance paired with fantastic vocals from Grohl, the song is absolutely mesmerizing. With an incredibly catchy chorus, the track is utterly fantastic and the best of the album.

The Foo Fighters delightfully bring down the pace with “Hearing Voices.” While Grohl’s vocals are terrific throughout the album, he delivers his best performance on this track. Beautiful and captivating, his voice is hypnotizing. Grohl’s stellar display is complimented perfectly by the music, making for a catchy and overall extraordinary song.

After “Hearing Voices” is the disappointing title track, “But Here We Are.” While there is nothing particularly wrong with the song, carrying a similar energy as “Rescued,” it never really gripped me. The song simply isn’t catchy and, as such, is one of the weaker ones on the album.

The album moves forward with “The Glass”. Unique from the previous tracks on the album, the song is slow and stunning. Simplistic music matches Grohl’s beautiful and powerful vocals perfectly, and the result is a song that is both elegant and moving. A later tune, “Beyond Me,” continues this musical style with a similarly outstanding result.

Flipping the mood entirely comes “Nothing At All”. The song is catchy and upbeat, featuring a commanding and spellbinding bass line, before entering a fast and aggressive chorus. Much like “Rescued,” the song switches styles smoothly, with Grohl’s vocals and the music transitioning seamlessly. Overall, the track makes for a fun, exciting and persistent earworm.

Concluding the album are “The Teacher” and “Rest”. The songs contrast each other sharply. “The Teacher,” despite being over 10 minutes long, is rather catchy and offers continuously tempo-switching music in comparison to the slow and powerful “Rest.” While neither of these tracks rank even close among my favorites from the album, they served as a good conclusion. Their contrast represents the variety of fast and slow-paced songs featured on the album.

Ultimately, while some of the tracks miss the mark, “But Here We Are” made for a strong and delightful album.