RCA
2005
In Your Honor
About This Album
Although it was as big a commercial success as Foo Fighters' three previous albums, 2002's One by One seemed flat and tired, as if their leader, Dave Grohl, had reached a songwriting slump or as if the band had exhausted its possibilities. The time was ripe for a reinvention, or at least a risk, and the group responded accordingly with In Your Honor, a double album containing one disc of hard rock and one disc of acoustic material. Splitting music along such a clear dividing line is dangerous: since each disc explores one specific territory, each could sound monochromatic, but instead of falling into this trap, Foo Fighters benefit from these self-imposed constraints. Both the rock and acoustic albums have their own distinct character -- more so than, say, Guns N' Roses' separately released Use Your Illusion's, which felt like one gigantic sprawling album -- and while each is recognizably the work of Foo Fighters, neither feels as formulaic as One by One. While the acoustic album would seem to be the biggest break from tradition -- not only does it have a hushed, subdued mood, but it's filled with guest stars, including several appearances by Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, a duet with Norah Jones on "Virginia Moon," and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme returning the favor of Grohl's drumming on Songs for the Deaf by laying down guitar on "Razor" -- both albums showcase a reinvigorated band that is eager to stretch out and experiment.
Track List

Disc 1 (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8)

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Disc 2 (try tracks 1,2,3,5,8 and 9)

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