PORTLAND, Maine — Father’s Day is just around the corner, and there are some popular bands from the 80s and 90s that are now releasing new music, including the Foo Fighters.
Mick Werkhoven and Chris Brown from Bull Moose joined us on 207 to talk about upcoming releases that can make the perfect Father's Day gifts.
Rancid - "Tomorrow Never Comes"
For punk rock dads:
Rancid grew up just a tiny bit. Compared to their classic 1990s albums, the band's recently released album is more self-assured, better produced, and just a touch less sneering. They haven’t changed much, and that’s probably how it ought to be. It’s a great present, especially if you want your dad to tell you stories about what a bad example he used to be.
Foo Fighters - "But Here We Are"
For WCYY dads:
This is the Foo Fighters' first album since the sudden and tragic passing of drummer Taylor Hawkins, and nearly every track on the album is about dealing with that loss specifically, but also about grief itself. Though far from every song being a down-tempo ballad, the album itself has that classic 90s arena-rock kind of optimism and triumph. The thesis appears to be: "Bad things happen and it sucks, but we’re here anyway and there’s something to be said about that."
Ben Folds - "What Matters Most"
For sensitive and formerly sarcastic dads:
Ben Folds was always a little more in touch with his emotions than his peers. Compare the line, “She’s a brick and I’m drowning slowly,” to any Limp Bizkit lyric. He nailed what it felt like to be a certain kind of teenager or young adult in the 1990s. Now, his sonic palette has expanded, his songs are more complex, and he is speaking like a middle-aged guy. In the first song on the first big Ben Folds Five album, he tells his bullies that one day he will be big and important. Now, he’s fully grown and singing to “Kristine from 7th Grade,” and makes three observations that would never have occurred to the people in his 1990s songs. This is a good gift for thoughtful dads, especially if you want them to feel bad about breaking up with your mom.
Black Sabbath - "Live Evil (40th Anniversary Remaster)"
For metal dads (but not too metal):
Okay, listen, we had this whole theme of Millennial and Gen X dads growing older and more contemplative going, but I had to go and throw a monkey wrench into that because another Dio-era Sabbath is getting a reissue. Dio’s work with Black Sabbath is often overshadowed by Ozzy, which is a real shame because the output from those years is IMMACULATE. "Live Evil" is a fun collection because it also features Dio’s vocals on Ozzy tracks.