After three years of anticipation, the Foo Fighters’ new album, “Sonic Highways,” was a letdown. Released on Nov. 10, “Sonic Highways” became the Foo Fighters’ eighth studio album, following the massively successful “Wasting Light.”

After their tour for “Wasting Light,” the Foo Fighters announced they would be taking a break from music. While they may have just released new music, their rock and roll spirit is still on hiatus. Instead of bringing their raw energy to the studio, they used a gimmick to make this new album, recording each song in a different city.

Coincidentally, the first song on the album, “Something From Nothing,” was recorded in Chicago. It starts slowly, which is not unusual for a Foo Fighters’ song, but it fails to truly build up to the standards set by previous hits, such as “This Is a Call” and “Everlong.” Around midway through the song, the energy picks up. My hope for a door busting, head bobbing  and boot stomping thrill was built up, only to be met by a haphazard funk riff. It was as if the song had gotten hit in the head and stumbled into the wrong album.

Recorded in Austin, Tex., “What Did I Do?/God As My Witness?” sounded as though lead singer Dave Grohl had sat down at an old piano in a dusty little town and began to belt out a song for his audience. Picking up a hint of Southern charm, the song has bits of “Sweet Home Alabama” in it. With two and a half minutes left, the song changes tempo and brings out an instrument rarely heard by Foo Fighters’ listeners: the flute. But, like the majority of the album, the song seems forced.

“In the Clear,” the sixth song of the album, sounds like the Foo Fighters of old. It reminded me of the classic, “My Hero” or the recent hit, “Walk.” It has an uplifting beat with a classic Foo Fighters’ muted guitar introduction. Just as the album title suggests, this would be a perfect song to listen to while cruising down the highway.

As a whole, the album was not terrible. It had a share of catchy riffs and intense guitar solos. But the album lacked the originality seen from the Foo Fighters in the past. It was as though the Foo Fighters were playing lesser quality versions of their past hits. While this time the album seemed forced, Foo Fighters fans should not be discouraged because it does not appear that the band has plans to stop making music any time soon.

2.5/5 Stars