Antidotes - Music (Foals)

It's hardly the cure for anything but Antidotes, the debut album from Oxford's Foals, is a strong addition to the eternal tradition of dance-friendly art rock most recently exemplified by Franz Ferdinand and Klaxons. The five ex-public schoolboys that make up Oxford's Foals are hardly lacking self-confidence--comically cocky frontman Yannis Phillipakis could annoy for the nation and the band rejected producer David Sitek's original mix--but Antidotes is anything but pony. After spending their youth in rigorous "math rock" outfits, Foals started out in 2005 with the stated intention of having fun. Rather delightfully, this amounted to the discovery that audiences are well disposed to acts they can dance to. A clutch of well-received singles and a guest spot on popular sixth-form satire Skins sealed their popularity. Their origins in academic rock are sometimes obvious, but fine drummer Jack Bevan keeps things moving throughout. Opener "The French Open", with its gleeful chanted vocals (in French) and fashionable Afrobeat tinged guitar lines, evokes Talking Heads' dada nonsense classic "I Zimbra", itself older than any Foal. First top thirty hit "Cassius" saw jazz-punk back in the charts for the first time since that perennial football crowd favourite "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag". "Olympic Airways" is a charming if oblique tale of escape that couldn't be further from the bus stop/chip shop style while "Red Socks Pugie" already sounds like a single in waiting. The lyrics might charitably be described as impressionistic and Phillipakis's voice remains nondescript. But with better tunes than Bloc Party and a self-conscious precision that recalls Mogwai in their pomp, the effortlessly pretentious Foals are unmistakably the sound of 2008. --Steve Jelbert

Customer Reviews of Antidotes

Andy Lloyd
Northampton, UK
19th October 2008

Delightful album
I first heard of Foals through a friend and egged me on to buy their album, the opening of the French Open grabbed my attention, such a classy intro of guitars and the slow build up

My favourite 2 tracks on the album are Cassius and Red Sock Pugie, Cassius opens with plucky guitar and collective vocals, an interesting sound that will grow on you, all the way through the album it changes stance and will then come in with something different, the final track Tron i thought was just going to be an indie album filler, but it again builds up and just gives you that feeling of leaving you wanting more.

Superb debut album and in my current top 20 albums ever.

If you like Foals and are Electro-indie inclined try Late of the Pier

Terrance Dacktal
Leeds, UK
8th September 2008

Divisive Genius
'Antidotes' dramatically splits opinion between people who normally share similar taste; you either love this album or hate it. For me, this is the best album of the year...and that's saying something seeing that I regard 2008 to have been one of the most rewardingly fertile years for alternative music in a very long time. 'Antidotes' is rich in melody, and effortlessly navigates the emotional gamut, ranging from the edgy and spiky post punk of 'Cassius', to the overwhelming lush and beautiful 'Big Big Love (Fig 2)' & 'Red Socks Pugie'. I hope you possess the Foals 'gene' - your life will be much, much richer for it.

Jon Turner
Bradford on Avon, UK
1st September 2008

Genius!
Original, inspirational, beautiful music.
The stand-out track for me, Red Socks Pugie, is original songwriting at its best.
Listen to it. Buy it.

Howard Change
Fishbourne
7th July 2008

May become five stars....
I'm oldish (i.e. not at college) and am of the opinion that Foals are trying something interesting. I'm not following any hype - in fact that put me off a little. Really improving in the glass this one. It will stick around I'm pretty sure as will they.

The Cynic
Scotland, UK
20th June 2008

Yet another hype band.
In my opinion, yet another hype band. Sound like too many other bands but not as good in my opinion. Bands mentioned in other reviews such as Franz Ferdinand, Mogwai, Bloc Party are all much better.