Adriane Pontecorvo: Some popular bands really do deserve their success, and the Foo Fighters make that list for me. All the best things about the Foos are in one place on “Run”: a strong sense of melody, Dave Grohl screaming his heart out, and, of course, shenanigans, this time featuring the always hilarious Missi Pyle and a lot of over-the-top white hair and fake senior citizens. You can always count on the Foo Fighters for a concept like hard rock retirees on the run and taking on vaping hipsters. Even without the video, though, this is a powerful single with a strong and timely message: seize the day before it’s too late. There’s a tremendous emotional weight to this song, as well as a musical one. Taylor Hawkins’ drumming has never sounded bolder, and the drive in those guitars is serious business. As for Grohl — how is it possible to yell like that for so many years and still sound so good? He’ll be going strong until he really is old enough for that hair. [9/10]
Chris Ingalls: Radiohead is doling out OK Computer-era lost tracks, Slowdive is back, and now Foo Fighters have a new single. It’s like the ’90s never went away. The song takes some time to find its groove, but once the guitars and drums kick in, you can tell that the band is locked into a fresh, new sound. Combining their knack for pop smarts with a gleaming, metallic sheen, it’s as if this band of middle-aged rockers has somehow discovered the fountain of youth. A fresh sound from a band that can’t be accused of spinning its wheels. [8/10]
John Garratt: Now this, I was not expecting. Foo Fighters go full thrash in 2017! Some of the “fight” scenes get a little too silly, even for this premise, but silly videos have always been a guiding light for these guys. Melodically, “Run” probably isn’t going to replace “Learn to Fly” or “Everlong” on anyone’s personal list of Foo Fighters favorites, but at least I got to see some old folks throw a few hipsters out of their car. [6/10]
Paul Carr: Here Dave Grohl and co do what they do best. Unencumbered by a grand idea or gimmicky release strategy, the band exercise their innate urge to plug in and rock out. Like the best Foo’s songs, it begins slowly enough with simply picked, ringing open chords a la “The Pretender” before launching into a bowel rupturing riff with Grohl shredding his vocal chords a la “White Limo”. One thing is guaranteed, this will sound positively titanic at festivals. It’s the perfect example of what the band do best. Don’t overthink it. Just let it grab you by the underarms and launch you into a sweaty throng of people who haven’t washed for three days. [9/10]
SCORE: 8.00