A few weeks ago, one of my favourite bands Foals released a new single from their upcoming album Holy Fire. The song "Inhaler" is a beast of a song and has ever since, made me hugely impatient for their new album. This song demonstrates a potential new side to Foals whose two previous albums are sonically and musically sparse. It opens up with their typical funk stylings yet as it begins to build up to the chorus, you can tell something epic is about to happen.A mammoth of a guitar riff that completely takes you by surprise arrives and more or less blows up your speakers. It definitely sounds like Foals have been listening to badasses Rage Against the Machine for some inspiration lately.
After appearing on Later with Jools Holland, Foals showcased a new number called, well "My Number" that at first, made me slightly anxious. Like in Total Life Forever, when the eponymous single of that record came out, I wasn't sure what to make of it. I enjoy funk as much as the next person but their performance on Jools Holland, wasn't, well, brilliant. Then they officially released the single and restored my faith. It has this Tears for Fears meets Talking Heads vibe, with its afro-funk style of playing, a sound I think they've been trying to develop since their first releases. Its catchy, intertwining guitars and the occasional "ooh" shows a side of Foals flirting with pop music. But the good kind, the one from the 80's.
Then they played "Late Night" on Live at Abbey Road and everything slightly changed. This was a side of Foals I was hoping they would retain. The ethereal, grand and euphoric side, one that shows up every once in a while. And nothing since their magnum opus "Spanish Sahara". It opens very slowly but it gradually grows in size and epicness. Starting with a rhodes piano and repetitive bass line, Yannis Phillipakis' voice comes in with a calm drum pattern settling in in the background. It takes a while but it's worth it. We're even shown a solo by Yannis, something I've been waiting for for so long. This, of course, will not be the chef d'oeuvre of their album, but just a taster for what to expect, and I'm sure it's going to get even better.
Foals release their album the 13th of February 2013, and with this in mind, I already know how I'm going to be spending my Valentine's day.
