Produced by Greg Kurstin and the band itself, it is their first studio album since the death of their longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins on March 25, 2022.

Frontman Dave Grohl performed and recorded the entirety of the album's drum tracks in Hawkins' absence.

[17] The band described the album's sound as "sonically channeling the naivete of Foo Fighters' 1995 debut album, informed by decades of maturity and depth" while lyrically exploring "a brutally honest and emotionally raw response to everything Foo Fighters have endured recently [...] 10 songs that run the emotional gamut from rage and sorrow to serenity and acceptance, and myriad points in between.

[15] Lyrically, the album explores Grohl coming to terms with not only Hawkins' death, but also that of his mother, Virginia, who died at an undisclosed-to-the-public time in 2022.

[26] Spin described it as "one of the strongest albums of the band's career" and concluded that "if you don't have a big, fat lump in your throat or head-to-toe goosebumps all over your body while listening to But Here We Are, you may not have a pulse.

praised the album's emotional content, noting that "It's a miracle not only that it was made, but also that it boasts the mesmeric lyrical and musical qualities it does.

"[19] Clash's Emma Harrison described it as "Heartbreaking, but hopeful - this is a masterclass...with its heady hooks and exuberant riffs, But Here We Are is ambitious, poignant, and vivid in equal measure.

"[35] Maura Johnston writing for Rolling Stone said the album "depicts grief in immediate terms" and "possess a vitality" and described it as "one of their best records ever".