When American rockers Foo Fighters confirmed they would be appearing as the musical guests on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” fans were hopefully wondering if they would be playing some new music. With their previously announced forthcoming album being delayed due to COVID-19, leading up to their appearance on the show, they had offered teasers of a new track on their social media.

On November 7, fans wondered no more as we were treated to “Shame, Shame,” the first brand new single from their album, “Medicine at Midnight,” now confirmed as due to land in February 2021. This will be the tenth studio album from Foo Fighters, who have been going strong ever since their debut release back in 1994.

“Shame, Shame” is the first taste of the band experimenting with a new sound, being a much more pop-driven track. Speaking of the new album, the band have said that the overall vibe is much more of a pop feel, breaking away from their previous post-grunge roots. And they make it work.

The guitar riffs are laden with a heavy, yet peppy feel, with the bassline and drums offering up the perfect backbone for the toe-tapping track. Lead vocalist Dave Grohl pumps out the lyrics in his low tenor, almost baritone voice, adding genuine depth and soul to the number. The whole thing blends together beautifully and shows us that Foo Fighters are capable of much more diversity than some would have had us believe.

“Medicine at Midnight” will feature nine brand new tracks, the band describing it as upbeat, fun, with a swag of singalong rock songs. It was officially completed in February 2020, after what can only be described as an interesting recording experience in an old 1940s California house. 

Grohl has spoken of guitars being mysteriously out of tune, soundboard settings being messed with, tracks going missing, and even some strange new recordings of ambient noise appearing. Allegedly, they even captured some paranormal activity on video. The footage has not been able to be released owing to a non-disclosure agreement with the owner of the property.

Whatever forces were at work, the result is a fantastic new single that shows us a different side to Foo Fighters and promises an epic tenth album. No word on when the next single is due to land, but if it’s even half as good as “Shame, Shame,” fans can have plenty to look forward to.

Author: Harley Houghton

Harley Houghton is a writer and blogger, based in Melbourne, Australia. Her passions include music, especially metal, gaming and comics. Check out her blog www.harleysmadhouse.com and follow her on Twitter.