Foals rarely break the box and granted, people love that box, its comfortable and warm, fuzzy at times, soft at others, there’s even a blanket for you to snuggle up to, and a copy of Rock Band for you to play with.
Their latest release, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2, is very much this box. The contents are as follows; a selection of airy synth breaks; a variety box of guitar riffs; one signature yell – “baayyrrghhhh”; and a splattering of radio rock choruses that people like to describe as “anthemic” and “fit for a stadium” – both lazy in my eyes.
Part 1 in this double-act saw Foals experiment a little, moving towards a disco-y, fun sound that incorporated electronic instruments. Part 2 sees them take a step backwards though, with a return to the heavy-style singles which first attracted fans.
Parts 1 and 2 differ here, they share a similar problem. They both have a soundscape that’s jammed, front to back, with no air, no space, and no real apparent thought as to why a lot of things are there quite frankly. You get the feeling throughout the newest record that in the studio they just kept going “oh what about this, or that, or this,” and every single time the producer has gone: “yes, yes, yes, yeeessssssss.” The result is something that, well, suffocates you.
They both also have a distinct formula which, simply put, is boring. Even if the melodic choruses and instrumentation are different, you can’t help but feel across both parts and beyond with Foals, that everything sounds vaguely similar. That’s because the songwriting itself never changes. It is melodic chorus (preferably shouted) with a guitar riff, rinse repeat, and it always has been.
This creates something here that has the character of an architect’s technical drawing. Every line is straight, every corner the perfect angle, but in comparison to the concept drawing, a huge arching building with abstract colours, balconies and windows, it’s lifeless. I wanted Foals to give into to experimentation but instead, we have, yet again, rock spelt R-O-C-K, with barely anything new.
They have attempted to avoid this at all costs it seems, with the use of a few brief 1-minute interludes, featuring broad, atmospheric synths, pianos and the ‘bearded-bloke-screaming-but-now-he’s-far-away.’ But, though they are perhaps the most interesting parts of the record, they serve as nothing else but a distraction from yet another very Foalsy Foals song.
Admittedly, they are some great moments in here. ‘Into The Surf’, which has a Beatles esque bassline and piano, stood out, as did ‘Neptune’, a ten-minute saga – the formula, after all, does create some bangers. But, these moments nearly always come when the band rely on their musical ability and instincts rather than the conventions they’ve set for themselves. The interludes mentioned previously are a good example of this. Here, Foals sound like a dynamic and interesting band. They break out any kind of verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge and really explore what they are capable of musically. That’s what I wanted more of.
Haiku Review
Don’t say it, don’t say-
“Foals are the Coldplay of Rock.”
Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck
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