Unlike his former band, Nirvana, Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters have never seemed unduly troubled by the dilemmas of reconciling the punk ethos with shifting units. The Foos' sixth and most accomplished album sees the band comfortable with arena tricks such as wistful Led Zeppelin-y acoustic guitars and choruses to learn and scream. But Gil Norton's stunning production can't disguise the raw humanity beneath the sheen. The guttural Let It Die has obvious parallels in Grohl's experiences with Kurt and Courtney. Stranger Things Have Happened explores loneliness within a tune that could be sung by millions. And on Statues, Grohl's intimate vocal brings a heart of darkness to a melody that could otherwise be the work of Billy Joel.