Foals are a an indie rock band from Oxford, England. The band consists of Yanis Philippakis (lead vocals/lead guitar), Jack Bevan (drums), Jimmy Smith (rhythm guitar/synth/backing vocals), Walter Gervers (bass/sampler/backing vocals) and Edwin Congreave (keyboard/synth/backing vocals).
'What Went Down' is the fourth studio album that they have released. Previous releases from the band are 'Antidotes', (2008) 'Total Life Forever' (2010) and 'Holy Fire' (2013). Foals have received very positive reviews for their previous albums and singles and have built a large international fan base. They are also famed for intense live shows.
The opening track of the album is the title track, 'What Went Down'. This track is full of powerful riffs and poignant vocals. I really like how the track builds up with so many layers then slowly breaks back down again. The next track is 'Mountain At My Gates' which is the also the second single that was released from the project. This song is really catchy and has a recognisable melody to it that you can't help but nod along to.
'Birch Tree' is the best track on the album in my opinion, I really enjoy how simple yet effective it is. The chorus is really easy to sing along to and the synth and guitar lines just make me feel so happy, this shows that the band can do when they're at their best. The subsequent track, 'Give It All' slows the album down, with a more melancholy sound that I enjoy but not as much as other slower tracks from the band such as 'Spanish Sahara'. The track just feels a bit middle of the road and lacks purpose. This is also a similar case with 'Albatross', however this track seems to have more depth that adds to the overall listening experience. I also like the pulsating beat of this track, which seems to just keep growing and growing.
'Snake Oil' and 'Night Swimmers' are fairly standard album tracks, both with high quality vocals and instrumentals. The prior has a heavier sound with rocky guitars and punky vocals, and the latter is much softer with guitars that sound kind of twitchy. These two tracks show the breadth of talent that they possess. The next track is 'London Thunder', this is beautifully put together with an emotional piano intro and searching vocals. I love the lonely guitar riffs towards the start of the track that enhance Yannis's vocals.
The closing two tracks of this album are 'Lonely Hunter' and 'A Knife In The Ocean'. 'Lonely Hunter' is a track that's easily overlooked as it doesn't really have a direction. 'A Knife In The Ocean' on the other hand consists of almost 7 minutes of pure pleasure. The way the track snakes its way through so many sounds is simply amazing and a great closer for the album. This album ticks all the boxes for me, it has variety, quality and unpredictability. I find the way that the band craft their sound awe inspiring and believe that they are one of the most important bands of their generation.
Highs:
Birch Tree
London Thunder
Lows:
Give It All
Lonely Hunter
Rating: 8.8/10
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