Considering themselves in the grand scheme of grief and moving forward, the longevity of Foo Fighters is questioned by the band themselves. Doing so is a bold move, a risk to be taken from an otherwise consistently broad and likeably light band. Show Me How moves Dave Grohl and the rest of the gang away from this safety, charting new and clear territories as they begin to consider where they are. Show Me How is a cry for someone to tell them how to do that, But Here We Are has moments and titles which seem to link together as a healing process. Well needed for the band, the fans and those who are processing their own losses, death or otherwise. Show Me How is the desire for guidelines in an otherwise aimless state.
Mellow, slower and considered, Show Me How takes a dive into delicacy as ballast to Under You. Both work as pistons pushing constantly at what Foo Fighters are now that they grieve their drummer. Melodic dedications are lighter here though, Show Me How has a brevity and a pace to it which sees the band build toward an inevitable, electric blowout. Violet Grohl works well with her father, with some essential backing vocals which again showcase a nicely layered track. Wavy and sleek, with no jagged edges as the band pull their punches and rely on the cutting strums of their guitar work. Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear demonstrate their quality in simplicity as they bring through some wonderous, well-maintained moments. It all settles nicely into a latter-track guitar solo. Par for the course, but enjoyable.
Yet the par for the course structure and instrumentals are far from predictable when Grohl hopes to assure his friend he will “take care of everything,” as he does often enough on Show Me How. Whether Foo Fighters can come together for stronger tracks than this is yet to be seen and will surely be reason enough to check out But Here We Are. There they are indeed, and whether they can pull from the wreckage of their personal grief an album worthy of paying tribute to a rightly regarded drummer is yet to be seen. It is likely, but reasonable doubt is to be expected when all which can be levelled at a song is it is a process of grief. There does not need to be broad theme or changes to it, but the instrumentals Foo Fighters bring about are more than enough to maintain a different pace in a similar thought.
What they do best on Show Me How is give the instrumentals a chance to breathe. After the heavier tones of Under You, the frankly light-in-comparison efforts of this piece are lovely to hear. Getting it right is half the battle and thankfully Foo Fighters are more than capable of reacting to and forming their thoughts on a raw experience. Dependable charms and a gift of a chorus which questions those broad skies and bright stars Foo Fighters are no doubt reaching for time and again. Grohl leans into a relaxing state as a vocalist here, never quite needing to rise to the rocker strengths his music so often relies on. Show Me How shows how Foo Fighters can charm with easy-going passion.
