But Here We Are

But Here We Are is dedicated to both Hawkins and Virginia; the latter of whom is Dave Grohl's mother who died in July 2022.^[9][10]

Background[edit]

As early as mid-2021, Dave Grohl had already been planning for a follow-up album to Medicine at Midnight (2021).^[11] Grohl noted that each album the band records is a response to the prior one, and in response to Medicine at Midnight, he was considering writing "an insane prog-rock record".^[11] Grohl had not even started writing said material, as the band was still focusing on touring in support of Medicine at Midnight.^[11] Despite this, all plans were abruptly cancelled after longtime drummer, Taylor Hawkins, unexpectedly died in March 2022.^[12] The band cancelled everything planned for the rest of the year, largely going quiet and leaving their future uncertain. In December 2022, a statement was released confirming that Foo Fighters would continue, but that they were "going to be a different band going forward".^[13]


Rumors of a new album arose in February 2023, when radio DJ Chris Moyles on the UK's Radio X casually mentioned a new album to be released in March.^[14] Moyles would later apologize for speaking out of turn on the subject, but refused to clarify his comments.^[15] The album was later officially announced on April 19, 2023, alongside its official title, But Here We Are.^[2][16] At the time of the album's announcement, a replacement for Hawkins had still not been publicly disclosed.^[17] It was later disclosed that Grohl performed the drums on the album, his first drumming credit on a Foo Fighters studio album since 2005.^[18]

Recording and themes[edit]

The album is the third collaboration with producer Greg Kurstin, following Medicine at Midnight (2021) and Concrete and Gold (2017).^[19] The band described the album's sound as "sonically channeling the naivete of Foo Fighters' 1995 debut album, informed by decades of maturity and depth" while lyrically exploring "a brutally honest and emotionally raw response to everything Foo Fighters have endured recently [...] 10 songs that run the emotional gamut from rage and sorrow to serenity and acceptance, and myriad points in between."^[20] The album was also described as "the first chapter of the band's new life".^[17] Lyrically, the album explores Grohl coming to terms with not only Hawkins' death, but also his mother, Virginia, who died at an undisclosed-to-the-public time in 2022.^[21] "Under You" released as the album's second single, has been described as melodic punk.^[22]