Most songs string together abstract thoughts in innocuous ways. A few lines speak of staying committed to others (“Tired”), working through relational issues (“Overdrive”), getting rid of pride (“Burn Away”) and being selfless in marriage (“Disenchanted Lullaby”). Lead singer Dave Grohl stands beside a forlorn friend on “Lonely As You” (“Every now and then you’re down and out . . . but I’m down with you”). “Times Like These (One-Way Motorway)” sees value in “living, giving and loving.”
On the dismal “Comeback,” Grohl describes being “dead on the inside.” Without being quite so blunt, other cuts also express degrees of disillusionment and emptiness. An f-word mars “Halo.”
Bonus DVD: A second disc boasts music videos, backstage footage and nearly 100 still photographs. Members of the band are shown smoking cigarettes or drinking beer. A song titled “The One” (played behind a still photo) repeats the s-word.
Grohl (formerly of the grunge band Nirvana) and colleagues Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel and Chris Shiflett are at their best when they keep their messages vague. But there’s nothing obscure about profanity.
