7/10

It became clear around the 2010 mark that Foo Fighters had reached a level of success that the quality of their music no longer mattered. Their back catalogue had so many huge and well-loved anthems that their material from then on was always destined for success, regardless of how forgettable and cliched it became. So while records like 'Sonic Highways' and their last effort 'Concrete And Gold' had their moments, they failed to add much to the group's legacy to date. And after a four-year break to work on this new collection, they are hoping that 'Medicine At Midnight' manages to make more of an impact.

From the start and the preview singles we have heard so far, 'Medicine To Midnight' comes across like a very different beast to their recent endeavour. While not focusing itself on the stadium-filling anthems they have been trying to write over the last decade, it gives us a more content and groove-driven collection that sees them indulge themselves as the ageing rockers they are quickly becoming. With a confident aesthetic that rarely falters from its David Bowie-esque intentions, this release is less about trying to grab your attention and more about giving the listener a smooth and comfortable ride that hardly looks to rock the boat in anyway.

While it may seem like a veer away from what we have become used to from them recently, it does show Foo Fighters in a refreshing light that isn't trying to pretend they are the same band from twenty years ago. In a way, they are growing into their ageing skin and showing us that there is still plenty of life in the group after all these years.