In Your Honor shows two very distinct sides to the Foo Fighters. And it uses separate discs to display these musical differences. Disc one is exclusively plugged-in rockers while the second disc contains only acoustic numbers.

While I can see where Dave Grohl and company were coming from when they conceived this idea, it probably would have been better if they cut a few tracks, mixed up the rockers with the unplugged songs and released a single disc. Still, that’s not to say that each individual disc doesn’t contain enough variation to keep them interesting in their own right.

Even though the first two tracks of disc one are a sonic bludgeoning, they’re strong cuts, namely the opening title track. Its biggest fault is the overused false ending trick. The third track, “Best Of You,” slows things down just enough to break things up. And songs like “The Deepest Blues Are Black” and “End Over End” mix it up later on this set just enough to keep this disc from getting too monotonous. But despite some variance musically on the first disc, its biggest problem is Grohl’s vocals, which are a near constant shriek.

Not surprisingly, Grohl tones it down on the acoustic disc. And not surprisingly, it’s the stronger of the set. “Still” is a beautiful opening piece and is followed by an equally impressive track, “What If I Do?” On this second disc, the band includes some impressive guest appearances. Legendary Led Zeppelin multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones adds piano to “Miracle” and mandolin on “Another Round.” And Norah Jones adds her sultry vocals as well as piano on the jazzy “Virginia Moon.” Yet despite some stronger tunes on disc two, it oddly shows less variation than the first disc. Again, which is why a single disc of both electric and acoustic tracks perhaps would have been a stronger idea.