Saint Cecilia (EP)

Saint Cecilia
Digital download cover
EP by Foo Fighters
Released	Digital download: November 23, 2015 12-inch vinyl: February 19, 2016
Recorded	October 1–11, 2015
Studio	Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin, Texas
Genre	Alternative rock post-grunge hard rock Southern rock post-hardcore
Length	18:00
Label	RCA
Foo Fighters chronology
Songs from the Laundry Room (2015) Saint Cecilia (2015)
Foo Fighters singles chronology
"Outside" (2015) "Saint Cecilia" (2015)
12-inch vinyl cover

Saint Cecilia is an EP by American rock band Foo Fighters. It was released as a free download on November 23, 2015.^[1] Initially intended as a sign of gratitude to the group's fans, the EP was also dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris.^[2][3]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	76/100[4]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Consequence of Sound	B+[5]
NME	4/5[6]
Pitchfork	6.0/10[7]
Rolling Stone	[8]
Spin	7/10[9]

Recorded at the Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin, Texas, Saint Cecilia was released on November 23rd, which is the day after the Roman Catholic feast day of Saint Cecilia, a patron saint of musicians.

Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic described "Saint Cecilia" as Foo Fighters' "statement on how they are the biggest rock band in the world".^[10] Novoselic also said that "Saint Cecilia is more straight-ahead rock that is done really well", and went on to say that "I went to the Foo’s last gig at the Moda Center in Portland and they rocked a packed house. I love the drummer Matt Sorum. However, he is so wrong in his statement about danger and the Foo’s somehow lacking it. First off all, I know about danger in rock. I was the bassist in Flipper — and survived! Look at a band like Queen, who totally rocked. They were way more dandy than danger. Queen knows how to rock a stadium. So do the Foo Fighters and you’ll hear big rock on Saint Cecilia".^[10]

In a review of the Saint Cecilia EP, NME stated that "Quite aside from the sad circumstances of its release, if 'Saint Cecilia' is foreshadowing the Foo Fighters' next move, the omens look good.^[11] Spin stated that "It's the one consistent blessing of stardom. With Saint Cecilia, the Foos are trying to acknowledge that blessing in the best way possible: being themselves".^[12]

Consequence of Sound stated that whereas last year's Sonic Highways album was arguably their weakest effort to date, "Saint Cecilia feels like a new turn, or rather, a much-needed step back. It’s simple, back-to-basics rock 'n' roll that reaches for the heart and not the last fan in the back of the crowd. Revisiting the past, Foo Fighters have always been at their best when they don’t overthink things and just be themselves — it’s why Grohl's 1995 debut will forever be the band's watermark, and why 2011's Wasting Light managed to be such a late-career gem. That's not to say that this EP checks into that upper echelon of Foo Fighters accomplishments, but it’s certainly cut from the same cloth. There’s an energy to these songs that feels very nostalgic".^[13]

Pitchfork said of the EP's title track "Saint Cecilia" that "It's the most immediately pleasing thing they've done this decade and also the most instantly familiar, with a robust chorus built on a progression of straight-strummed barre chords, stacked harmonies and broad lyrics that express a general sense of yearning, but nothing that puts Grohl's personal life on the spot. In other words, it's not terribly different than "Learn to Fly" or "Times Like These" or "Next Year", proof that Foo Fighters are modern day, power-pop workhorses in their natural state rather than a rawk band".^[14] Pitchfork also said of the other songs on the EP that "Whenever that reputation threatens to stick, Grohl always draws on a Northern Virginia upbringing that put him within driving distance of DC's hardcore scene. "Sean" and "Savior Breath" are punk Foo Fighters, or as punk as they can sound in 2015—infinitely more energetic than anything on Sonic Highways, but only incrementally edgier, Wasting Light without Butch Vig's glossy overlay".^[14]

The "Saint Cecilia" single marked Foo Fighters' 29th song to reach the Alternative Songs top 20, slotting the Foo Fighters into a tie with the Red Hot Chili Peppers for second-most top 20 entries in the chart's history.^[15] Only U2 has more, with 31.^[15] "Saint Cecilia" is also the Foo Fighters' twenty-second song to make to the Top 10 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, in which they are tied with Godsmack for the most Top 10's on that chart since August 1995 when Foo Fighters had their first Top 10 with "This Is a Call".^[15]

The vinyl version of the Saint Cecilia EP was released on February 19, 2016.^[16]

Track listing

All tracks written by Foo Fighters. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Saint Cecilia"	3:40
2.	"Sean"	2:11
3.	"Savior Breath"	3:11
4.	"Iron Rooster"	4:11
5.	"The Neverending Sigh" (previously titled "7 Corners")	4:45
Total length:		18:00

Credits

Writing, performance and production credits are adapted from the album liner notes.^[17]

Personnel

Foo Fighters

• Dave Grohl – guitar, vocals, percussion on "Saint Cecilia", piano on "Iron Rooster"
• Chris Shiflett – guitar
• Pat Smear – guitar
• Nate Mendel – bass
• Rami Jaffee – keyboard except on "Savior Breath" and "Iron Rooster"
• Taylor Hawkins – drums, backing vocals on "Sean" and "Iron Rooster", percussion on "Iron Rooster", piano on "Iron Rooster"

Additional musicians

• Ben Kweller – backing vocals on "Saint Cecilia"
• John Lousteau – percussion on "Iron Rooster"

Production

• Kevin Szymanski – recording tracks 1–3,5
• John Ross Silva – Second Engineer tracks 1–3,5
• John Lousteau – recording for "Iron Rooster", mixing assistant
• James Brown – mixing
• Emily Lazar – mastering
• Chris Allgood – mastering assistant

Visual art

• Xavier Schipani – cover art
• Sandra Luk – design

Studios

• St. Cecilia Hotel – recording
• Studio 606 – recording
• The Lodge, New York City, NY, USA – mastering

Charts

Single Chart (2015–16) Peak position Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[18] 32 Canada Rock (Billboard)[19] 2 Finnish Airplay (Suomen virallinen radiosoittolista)[20] 82 Poland (LP3)[21] 23 Spain Physical Singles (PROMUSICAE)[22] 1 UK Rock and Metal (Official Charts Company)[23] 12 US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[24] 33 US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[25] 6 US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[26] 12 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[27] 3

12-inch EP Chart (2016) Peak position Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[28] 63 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[29] 74 Scottish Albums (OCC)[30] 20 UK Albums (OCC)[31] 35 UK Vinyl Albums (OCC)[32] 1 UK Physical Albums (OCC)[33] 20 UK Album Sales (OCC)[34] 26 US Billboard 200[35] 117 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[36] 16 US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[37] 4 US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[38] 12 US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[39] 9 US Album Sales (Physical) (Billboard)[40] 54 US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[41] 2

References

1. "Saint Cecilia – EP by Foo Fighters on iTunes". Apple Inc. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
2. Brandle, Lars (November 23, 2015). "Foo Fighters Share Free EP to 'Remind Us That Music is Life'". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
3. Renshaw, David (November 23, 2015). "Foo Fighters dedicate new surprise free 'St Cecilia' EP to victims of Paris attacks". NME. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
4. "Reviews for Saint Cecelia EP". Metacritic. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
5. "Foo Fighters – Saint Cecilia EP". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
6. "Foo Fighters – 'St Cecilia'". NME. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
7. "Foo Fighters: Saint Cecilia EP". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
8. "Foo Fighters's New Album: Saint Cecilia". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
9. "Review: Foo Fighters' Best Record in Years Is the Tragedy-Stricken 'Saint Cecilia' EP". Spin. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
10. Playlist: What is Krist Novoselic listening to? dailyastorian.com. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
11. Foo Fighters – 'St Cecilia' nme.com. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
12. Review: Foo Fighters’ Best Record in Years Is the Tragedy-Stricken ‘Saint Cecilia’ EP spin.com. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
13. Foo Fighters – Saint Cecilia EP consequenceofsound.net. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
14. Foo Fighters Saint Cecilia EP pitchfork.com. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
15. Five Finger Death Punch No. 1, Foo Fighters Near History on Rock Charts billboard.com. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
16. Saint Cecilia EP (Vinyl) EP amazon.com. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
17. Saint Cecilia (liner notes). Foo Fighters. RCA Records. 2016. 88875-18459-1.
18. "Ultratop.be – Foo Fighters – Saint Cecilia" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
19. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Canada Rock for Foo Fighters. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
20. "Foo Fighters: Saint Cecilia" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
21. "SAINT CECILIA". Polskie Radio. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
22. "Physical Single Top 20". Spanish Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
23. "Archive Chart: 2015-12-04" UK Rock Chart. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
24. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for Foo Fighters. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
25. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Rock Airplay for Foo Fighters. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
26. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for Foo Fighters. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
27. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs for Foo Fighters. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
28. "Austriancharts.at – Foo Fighters – Saint Cecilia EP" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
29. "Ultratop.be – Foo Fighters – Saint Cecilia EP" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
30. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
31. "Foo Fighters | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved February 27, 2016.
32. Official Vinyl Albums Chart Top 40 – 26 February 2016 – 3 March 2015. officialcharts.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
33. Official Physical Albums Chart Top 100 – 26 February 2016 – 3 March 2015. officialcharts.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
34. Official Album Sales Chart Top 100 – 26 February 2016 – 3 March 2015. officialcharts.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
35. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Foo Fighters. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
36. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Foo Fighters. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
37. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums for Foo Fighters. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
38. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Top Alternative Albums for Foo Fighters. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
39. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Top Tastemaker Albums for Foo Fighters. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
40. Foo Fighters – Album Sales Chart history. billboard.com. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
41. Billboard – Vinyl Albums. billboard.com. Retrieved March 1, 2016.

Notes

• Kreps, Daniel (November 23, 2015). "Foo Fighters Drop Surprise Free EP 'Saint Cecilia'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
• Beauchemin, Molly (November 23, 2015). "Foo Fighters Drop Saint Cecilia EP". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
• Young, Alex (November 23, 2015). "Foo Fighters release surprise new EP, Saint Cecilia, for free download". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 23, 2015.

External links

• Saint Cecilia EP Official Website