Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)
Foo Fighters · 2008
8 min · 2 tracks · alternative rock
A blend of urgent rhythms and melodic hooks that captures the essence of Foo Fighters' energetic post-grunge sound.
Top tracks — play these first
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Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running) — This title track encapsulates the album's themes of resilience and self-reflection with a catchy chorus and driving instrumentals that showcase the band's signature sound.
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Band on the Run — A cover of Paul McCartney's classic, this track illustrates the band's versatility and ability to reinterpret iconic songs while maintaining their own identity.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The single showcases energetic songwriting but lacks cohesion due to the inclusion of a cover track.
What we noticed
- The lead track features a driving beat with layered guitar riffs that create a sense of urgency throughout its duration.
- The second track is a cover, which shifts the focus from original material to an interpretation of a classic song, altering the album's cohesion.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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4/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Late Career Highlight — Shows continued vitality and relevance in their sound during the late career phase.
- Themes
- personal transition· emotional complexity
- Career context
- Released in 2008, Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running) is the Foo Fighters' sixth studio album, following their highly successful release, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. At this point in their career, the band was consolidating their status as rock mainstays after numerous accolades and commercial success since their debut in 1995.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Nirvana· Queens of the Stone Age· Soundgarden
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running) 3:41
- 2 Band on the Run 5:07
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Narrow Stairs
Death Cab for Cutie
Shares introspective lyrics and emotional complexity with a blend of alternative rock energy.
Riot!
Paramore
Captures a similar buoyant energy and personal transition themes through melodic hooks and dynamic instrumentation.
Boxer
The National
Explores themes of introspection and emotional depth, wrapped in a rich, atmospheric soundscape.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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