Foals: Antidotes

The Indie Review

By Sean Duregger
June 15, 2008

Artist: Foals
Album: Antidotes
Label: Sub Pop
Rating:

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With their home base in Oxford, England, Foals have no trouble with being different. With their quirky blend of dance, rock, and punk Foals remain unclassifiable. With their Sub Pop release, Antidotes, Foals are quick to prove that you don’t have to stick to formula or genres to gain following. They let the music do that for them.

Antidotes is one of the most enjoyable discoveries I’ve had in music so far this year. Songs laden with disco dance beats, yet with an indie-rock sensibility, Foals are one of the most interesting bands out right now. The opening song The French Open blends seamlessly into one of my favorite tracks Cassius, I originally thought it was all one song. Antidotes takes you on a journey and doesn’t let you out of the world it creates until the last track is over.

One of the of the biggest advantages that Foals have over comparable artists (Cobra Starship, Men Women and Children, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) is the production. So many dance influenced rock acts rely too heavily on synth or reverb. Also, many indie/garage rock bands don’t give enough thought to their production, making their albums sounding too raw. Foals have struck production gold with Antidotes and have found the perfect balance of sound for what their pulling off here.

Ditching any formula that a lot of band rely on, Foals have given us a fun and grounded album that deserves multiple revisits. Innovative yet accessible, Antidotes is a memorable album that is sure to place Foals into our collective conscience.

Stand Out Tracks:

“Cassius”

“Red Socks Pugie”

“Electric Bloom”