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Product details
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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The French Open | |||
| 2. Cassius | |||
| 3. Red Socks Pugie | |||
| 4. Olympic Airways | |||
| 5. Electric Bloom | |||
| 6. Balloons | |||
| 7. Heavy Water | |||
| 8. Two Steps, Twice | |||
| 9. Big Big Love (Fig.2) | |||
| 10. Like Swimming | |||
See all 11 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. .Hummer | |||
| 2. .Astronauts `N All | |||
| 3. Mathletics | |||
| 4. .Big Big Love (Fig.1 | |||
| 5. .XXXXX (Live at Liars Club, Nottingham, Feb 10t)h | |||
| 6. .The French Open (Live at Liars Club, Nottingham, Feb 10th) | |||
| 7. .Balloons (Live at Liars Club, Nottingham, Feb 10th) | |||
| 8. Two Steps Twice( Live at Liars Club, Nottingham, Feb 10th) | |||
| 9. .Mathletics (Live at Liars Club, Nottingham, Feb 10th) | |||
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
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
About the Artist
What links the minimalism of American composer Steve Reich, guitars that sound like insects and tennis player Andy Roddick? The answer is one word: Foals. The explanation is a bit more complicated. Let's start at the beginning. Foals are a five-piece dance-rock band currently living in their home town Oxford. Yannis Philippakis (20, vocals/guitar), Edwin Congreave (22, keyboards), Walter Gervers (23, bass), Jimmy Smith (22, guitar) and Jack Bevan (21, drums) met in their native city, where they bonded over a shared sense of humour. Bored with the interchangeable electro records they heard at every party, they decided to make the kind of music they wanted to dance to. "We wanted to make music that was very technical, that wasn't just party music, but at the same time you could dance to it," explains Yannis.
First they christened themselves Foals. It was a nod to Yannis' surname, which means "little lover of horses" in Greek. "I like Foals because it's a nice word and it doesn't give away what the band is about," he explains. "It sounds fresh and new."
Then they installed themselves in a tiny rehearsal room and started bouncing ideas off one another. Tensions ran high. "I was shocked by how critical every one was of each other," says Edwin. "We've always been very self-critical," expands Yannis. "There was an almost dangerous amount of criticism." If the high-pressure atmosphere strained intra-band relations, they quickly identified a winning formula: driving percussion high in the mix, guitars played above the 12th fret, no chords and splashes of synth colour. The result was pristine, perfectly formed dance rock such as Balloons, Hummer and Two Steps Twice.
Live, Foals don't so much fizz with energy as explode like a well-shaken bottle of champagne. "It's like we're all battling for supremacy on stage," says Edwin. The dance-inflected beats have seen them rock venues ranging from the kitchen at a house party to London warehouse parties.
The sometimes surreal lyrical imagery is complimented by Foals' artwork, all of which is created by the "sixth member of the band", Tinhead. "He creates something visual that matches what we want the music to sound like," says Yannis. "There are all these weird lines, humming birds and bright colours.
But what about Andy Roddick?
"I read a book by David Foster Wallace called Infinite Jest," says Yannis. "It's about drugs and tennis. I'm fascinated with tennis. I like Roddick because he's an all American hero; he could be out of The Great Gatsby. He's got the fastest serve ever. It's beautiful. It's like ballet. It's so clinical. I'm more into Andy Roddick than any musician. I based the lyrics for our song The French Open on the Andy Roddick/Lacost advert."
"No, we don't understand his obsession with Roddick either," says Edwin.
A strange story then. But already a fascinating one. And it's only just started.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Having first heard Foals a while back, I was instantly drawn to their music. I downloaded a few demos last year before all the hype started and was really impressed.Their use of multiple layers and time signatures leaves the listener slightly confused but ultimately amazed.
The only thing wrong with the album is prodction. The whole point of Foals' music is that it is multi layed and raw, and this album has lost some of that. Seeing them live will really make the listener appreciate them fully. Personally I dont like the use of saxaphone, and many of the songs have changed drastically from the original demos, mainly being mellowed out.
The 2cd version is the better deal, you get live recordings, which show what the main album was getting at, it just couldnt quite get there
Overall a good album for someone that is tired of typical indie and who wants to be absorbed into something very different.
The only thing wrong with the album is prodction. The whole point of Foals' music is that it is multi layed and raw, and this album has lost some of that. Seeing them live will really make the listener appreciate them fully. Personally I dont like the use of saxaphone, and many of the songs have changed drastically from the original demos, mainly being mellowed out.
The 2cd version is the better deal, you get live recordings, which show what the main album was getting at, it just couldnt quite get there
Overall a good album for someone that is tired of typical indie and who wants to be absorbed into something very different.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
What's everyone complaining about? Why are they saying its a disappointment? O.K i'll admit that its not a one-listen pure pop album, but after a few listens there's really not a record on this that i don't think would be able to be released as a single. The best part about it is the feeling you get of moving along with the band, progressing from the beginning to the end, i generally feel that most peoples music taste and horizons will be changed and expanded after a good few listening of this debut. If you've seen them live or ever met them you'll realize that they defiantly feel that they're all about the live performances, and recreating this on an album would be impossible and create horrific results of beautiful songs. So they decided to go down a much cleaner, refined and go full out and throw in some extras, like the horns and sax. Overall it creates a stunning album that, I'm sure although many attempts will never be replicated.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Having first heard Foals a while back, I was instantly drawn to their music. I downloaded a few demos last year before all the hype started and was really impressed.Their use of multiple layers and time signatures leaves the listener slightly confused but ultimately amazed.
The only thing wrong with the album is prodction. The whole point of Foals' music is that it is multi layed and raw, and this album has lost some of that. Seeing them live will really make the listener appreciate them fully. Personally I dont like the use of saxaphone, and many of the songs have changed drastically from the original demos, mainly being mellowed out.
The 2cd version is the better deal, you get live recordings, which show what the main album was getting at, it just couldnt quite get there
Overall a good album for someone that is tired of typical indie and who wants to be absorbed into something very different.
The only thing wrong with the album is prodction. The whole point of Foals' music is that it is multi layed and raw, and this album has lost some of that. Seeing them live will really make the listener appreciate them fully. Personally I dont like the use of saxaphone, and many of the songs have changed drastically from the original demos, mainly being mellowed out.
The 2cd version is the better deal, you get live recordings, which show what the main album was getting at, it just couldnt quite get there
Overall a good album for someone that is tired of typical indie and who wants to be absorbed into something very different.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Favourite album for definite!
Antidotes has got to be the best album by Foals, but also my favourite album!
I own all of their songs - even the B-side ones that no one has ever heard of which I think... Read more
I own all of their songs - even the B-side ones that no one has ever heard of which I think... Read more
Published 3 months ago by joandra
On full blast on the eardrums, great
Its a very paced & interesting album. Go see them live, they work hard for the money.
Not sure about the sequencing of the tunes, but it really hits the spot. Read more
Not sure about the sequencing of the tunes, but it really hits the spot. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Trits
Disappointing
I found this album pretty much a disappointment. I actually quite like the start of a few of the songs, being quite lively, but as soon as the singing started I began to dislike... Read more
Published 10 months ago by C. Booler
Fresh, exciting and very very catchy
I love this album. Let's get that out of the way first. I'm not a hype-merchant, I didn't even expect to enjoy the album quite frankly, but it was suggested to me, I listened and I... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Dominic Goulding
An album that never tires.
Foals produced a special album in 'Anitdotes'. I wasnt taken by it when I first bought the album, but it grew strongly on me to a point now where its my most played album. Read more
Published 24 months ago by L. Morris
Jolly Good Stuff
Not my usual fare and took a few listens to get into, but will definitely buy the next album aswell. Read more
Published on 31 July 2009 by A. J. Davies
Complex and beautiful.
I had the pleasure of seeing these guys live before i heard the album. I don't know if that makes me biased, but this is a fantastic album and is best listened to in its entirety. Read more
Published on 30 April 2009 by R. G. Lapidus
The Best Album of 2008...
Simply wish to add another five star review for this joyful, inventive, unique and stunning debut album. This is music that challenges, invigorates and never fails to surprise. Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2009 by D. L. Young
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... Read more
Published on 19 Oct 2008 by Andy Lloyd
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.
The stand-out track for me, Red Socks Pugie, is original songwriting at its best.
Listen to it. Buy it.
Published on 1 Sep 2008 by Jon Turner
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