CD Review: Foo Fighters, "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" (Roswell/RCA)

"Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" shares much in common with the previous five Foo Fighters albums released by frontman Dave Grohl and Co. For one thing, it's good. The man can write catchy foot-tapping rock songs all day long, tagging on anthemic choruses like afterthoughts.

But in a lot of ways this album is more complex and challenging than anything the band has done before. It's two discs of "In Your Honor," the 2005 double album that featured acoustic and electric discs, smashed together in an often pleasing fusion.

Sure, there are the rock songs that hit your soft spot like comfort food -- "The Pretender" and "But, Honestly."

But the best pieces are the more introspective songs Grohl can surprise you with when you consider his punk and heavy metal roots. Grohl shows off his voice and his ability to write catchy hooks on these pieces.

The Foo Fighters put it all together on "Come Alive," a shape-changer that starts with a croon-along acoustic introduction and ends in head-banging bliss.

Grohl shows off on the acoustic guitar during lazy-afternoon reflections on "Stranger Things Have Happened."

Then he tosses in an oddly pleasing acoustic instrumental interlude evocative of Jimmy Page's more reflective noodling before finishing with "Home," a strings-inflected song that serves as a melancholy goodbye.

CHECK THIS OUT: A beautiful melody on "Let it Die" drives a plaintive question that can't be answered. Not only does the song rock, but the lyrics give fans something to puzzle over.

-- The Associated Press