Foals burst onto the UK Indie scene with Antidotes, their energetic 2008 release. This dance-punk offering is infectious to say the least, even if the lyrics are at times indecipherable. Yannis Philippakis (what a great name!) and Foals are back with their second album, Total Life Forever, which sees the Oxford quintet taking their sound in a new direction. Philippakis accurately summarizes the tracks on Total Life Forever as “definitely the darkest stuff, and the slowest stuff” the band has released. The album feels much more tender and unrestrained than the bands previous work, the tracks carry a certain emotional charge. The focal point of the album is, without a doubt, the strikingly beautiful “Spanish Sahara”. The remaining tracks play like a college mix tape; there are traces of Bloc Party, The Talking Heads, My Morning Jacket, The Cure and VHS or Beta strewn throughout. Total Life Forever requires a certain commitment as it takes five to six listens to truly appreciate its quality. While I still prefer Antidotes, this album has completely grown on me over the past few weeks. This album deserves your attention and proves that Foals are a band to keep your eyes on. Total Life Forever has the makings of a Sunday morning album; music to keep you company while you enjoy your first cups of coffee and shake off the cobwebs from a Saturday night. Tracks to Repeat: “Blue Blood,” “Miami,” “Total Life Forever,” “Spanish Sahara” |
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