Foals

by Tom Milway [Edit this content] ▾ 8 comments 12:41 August 23rd, 2007

Artists:
Foals »

What better way to break in a fresh pair of five quid plimsoles than at a Foals gig in the new Rough Trade East store?

The lights go out, we cheer ('cos we like it with the lights out) and are confronted with a scene as close as we've been to one of these infamous squat parties we keep hearing about. Spilling off the small makeshift Rough Trade in-store stage and into the audience, I swear Yannis is going to knock the thirtysomething gentleman wearing slacks in the front row square in the face with the metallic headstock of his guitar during a raucous rendition of 'Balloons'. I visualise the blood flying and keep my eye on all escape routes as Yannis launches himself into the crowd for the first of many times this evening. He's excited to play Rough Trade tonight: "I’m glad to see this store open a bit later as when I was younger and actually had some money in my pocket, I went to Portabello Rough Trade only to find it had closed, so I was forced to get a bunch of dodgy tattoos."

Two newer songs aired to the skinny-jean clad crowd (one labeled “our first love song”, the other, single b-side ‘Big Big Love Fig 1’) are markedly different to their previous jittery mathematic offerings. Graceful, even blissful, with delay-ridden guitar parts (reminiscent of late Bloc Party) they are, but always with a solid bass-heavy pop-grove nailed through the very heart. What with recent talks of Afrobeat influences also featuring on the new album (read feature here), it’s definitely something to look forward to.

An old duffer near the front who looks hauntingly similar to Keith Richards grimaces as “those bloody kids” throw themselves around during new single 'Mathletics' like they are piloting their very own personal kamikaze fighter planes. Then as firm crowd favourite 'Hummer' chugs into earshot my bright white pair of plimsoles appear to become their sole targets. The thirtysomething gentleman escapes a decapitation, Keith Richards is witnessed limping from the scene, and my fresh pair of plimsoles are ever closer to real East London street-cred.

Photo: Holly Erskine_

Foals 8 / 10

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this show

was great. for the first time since I think Truck last year I Foals guitars were louder then there vocals (maybe not on stage but certainly out front). this is the balance they should ALWAYS have and suits them so much better then the vocal/drum heavy "pop" mix they tend to suffer from live at bigger venues.

what REALLY annoys me is this talk of "Afrobeat" on the new album. Dear journalists, have you ever listened to Fela Kuti, or traditional african music. Have you ever spent evenings listening to the great Andy Kershaw on whatever slot the BBC have put him on at present. Foals have ALWAYS had an african influence in the music, whether intentional or not. How can you have ever listened to Foals AND NOT heard that.

Just because Yannis mentions it on an interview on this website doesn't suddenly make it a marked change in direction. All there stuff has it in there (from the offbeat accenting of the drums to the intertwined guitar parts).

Yours most certainly miffed...

KillYourKids | 23 Aug '07, 13:06 | X | Reply

um sorry... but

and I quote: "The record sounds really different to what you’ve heard before from us – we’ve got Antibalas to play horns on it, and it has this sort of Afro-beat feel to it. We’re really happy with it, because we wanted to make a record that doesn’t sound like the live show, a record that sounds like a record." (Yannis, Foals)

Where does this review say there is a change in direction? Just a development a mere influence if you will.

Since when have anyone like Antibalas been on a Foals track? That IS exciting...

Yours is the sort that will always be miffed.

little_milton @KillYourKids | 23 Aug '07, 13:23 | X | Reply

damn i'm in a really good mood today

so will let that last comment go :)

really excited about the new "sound" if not "direction", especially as didn't really like the mix on the last recordings compared to the demos, but suprised people are only picking up about the african end of stuff because Yannis mentioned it.

there's a lot of other stuff in their music which no one talks about because they haven't got the breadth of musical experience i guess the band has. that's my only point really. foals didn't suddenly appear out of a math-rock vacumn, there's a lot lot lot more to them then that.

KillYourKids @little_milton | 23 Aug '07, 13:52 | X | Reply

his arms: pretty muscly

yes_ | 23 Aug '07, 15:39 | X | Reply

Hmm...

Hadn't seen Foals since Truck last year (before that I had seen them a few times with Andrew Youthmovies on vocals)... don't think I've missed much.

I've really enjoyed their singles, yeah, but their live show at Rough Trade was far from varied or "weird".

Also, although I love it when bands go into the crowds and stuff, doing it with a Travis Bean guitar (solid metal neck) is pretty stupid, no matter how youthful and boisterous you're trying to make your band appear... It literally whisked past my head and with no drinking inside Rough Trade, I wouldn't have been drunk enough to ignore it!

I don't know. Initially promising band, but I've yet to see them truly blossom yet.

DIRTYCraig | 23 Aug '07, 17:53 | X | Reply