The Pretender, the loud, hard-hitting debuting single from the Foo Fighter's new album "Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace," is very misleading of the rest of the album. The majority of the album is mellow and upbeat compared to the brazen Pretender. It's obvious that the band's decision to move into the acoustic realm with their last album and subsequent tour has heavily impacted their sound, but in a good way.

The album is a demonstration of almost perfect dynamics. As always, the Foos do a wonderful job of building their songs up and down, flowing from calm, acoustic verses, to loud, screaming choruses. This is evidenced in the song "Come Alive," which starts as just Dave Grohl on his acoustic guitar, and eventually builds into a loud, driving chorus with Grohl shouting, "Come Alive!" over and over. The song, "Ballad Of The Beaconsfield Miners" is a tribute to a group of miners who were caught in a mine collapse in Australia in 2006. The miners had requested Foo Fighters' music to be sent to them in the mine. The song features guitarist Kaki King.

The Foo Fighters never cease to please music fans. Whether you enjoy lofty ballades, or heavy, riff-filled rock anthems, they have it covered. Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace is another great addition to the Foo Fighters' legacy, and is a must-have for new and old fans alike.