Review: Foals, Holy Fire

Since Spotify launched over here in the US, I've had the chance to get to know a lot more bands that I hadn't listened to before. Friends would always tell me about bands to check out, and I'd write it down but didn't have a way to discover them. Foals is one of those bands. I've known about them for years, but never really discovered them and listened fully to their music until last year. Both Antidotes and Total Life Forever are still new to me, but they've become staples in my music library. I'm happy to say that Holy Fire is shaping up to be a welcome addition as well.

This album is one gem after another, all the way through. The album opener "Prelude" sets the tone, proving we're in for a darker and more mature Foals this time around. I've always said that the third album usually has a way of defining a band, and Foals third installment is no different. It's quickly followed by the driving sounds of "Inhaler", featuring some of the most intense buildup over 5 minutes I think I've ever heard. Just when you think the chorus is about to hit, there's more building before the very satisfying end. The other single "My Number" is classic Foals, with a jam-style beat and stylish guitars accompanying the gang vocals.

Foals hails from England and is currently on Sub Pop Records.

The new album is also broken up a bit better than the previous two. Some tracks on Foals' past albums tended to be longer, making for shorter interludes and a mess of tracks together. Not that any of it didn't work. But some of it just didn't make any sense. Holy Fire features 11 full tracks all averaging about 5 minutes each, which makes the album very receivable. "Everytime" is a great example, with its dance-style chorus that slides right in after each verse. It's not super short like a pop tune, and its not an 8-minute epic like some other indie rock groups these days. There's a lot happening through the whole track, and it finishes at a point that just works. "Late Night" showcases some brilliant guitar work over vocalist Yannis Phillipakis' striking tones. The best part comes after the intense bridge, where everything calms down and it's just drums, a funky bass groove and the guitar singing over the beat.

Overall, Holy Fire is definitely a big step of growth for Foals. While some might say they're just taking what everyone else is doing, I feel like this album is a gradual change that could be the future of a fantastic band. They could have stuck with jam style pop tunes, but they wanted to venture out further. It reminds me of the way I felt about the Silversun Pickups record last year. Lots of changes, but a great result in the end. Holy Fire may well define this band's career.