Dave Grohl – the muso everyone loves to love and seemingly, the muso everyone loves to make music with. When L.A.’s Sound City Studios was closing its doors Grohl decided he wanted to buy the console that recorded some of the most pivotal artists and albums of rock history including Nirvana’s game changer, Nevermind. It really doesn’t matter how good or bad Real To Reel is (for the record it’s pretty good, but not great) because this album is all about capturing a moment in time. Right now, everyone from Rick Springfield to Corey Taylor, Paul McCartney and Stevie Nicks are here, representing all corners of rock and capable of smashing out a great performance even if it’s weighted under a not so great song. No, the songs themselves aren’t all cultural goldmines but there’s something to be said for Grohl’s brave choice of venturing down the originals path as opposed to simply rerecording the Sound City hits. From Can To Can’t could’ve stayed as a future Slipnot/Sour song and doesn’t really seem to deserve a place on this album while the one-two of Grohl and Reznor on Mantra is a moment to relish. McCartney steps up to the McCartney pedestal with Cut Me Some Slack and Josh Homme’s Centipede encapsulates all that Sound City did so well. The album is a who’s who (and occasionally who’s that?) of rock past and present and Grohl’s probably the only benevolent musical genius capable of pulling off such an enormous project. While the songs themselves will probably not etch themselves in the cultural psyche of future music lovers, this album and entire project will.
BY KRISSI WEISS
Best Track: Mantra
If You Like This, You’ll Like: Music – seriously – fucking rock music.
In A Word: Momentous
