Play is
Dave Grohl's documentary tribute to the joys of playing an instrument, so it fits that its soundtrack is a celebration of
Dave Grohl playing an instrument. The trick is,
Play is a single song lasting nearly 23 minutes, its length all the better to showcase
Grohl's prowess with guitar, drums, and bass. Note that this doesn't include vocals.
Play is entirely instrumental, with
Grohl pivoting from loud to quiet and back again, stopping for detours to showcase either polyrhythm or riffage that stops just short of a solo. The motifs are circular and just repetitive enough to suggest an overblown version of a
Foo Fighters song, albeit one where
Grohl somehow forgot to record a lead vocal. This might mean that
Play is somewhat underwhelming as a standalone EP but, then again, it was not only designed as a soundtrack, but as a showcase for a one-man band. In that regard, it's a success. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine