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Rating: Finally the Foals! I say this because I had been eagerly awaiting the debut of the Oxford band for many months, following the release of a handful of intriguing singles (not included in the standard version of the album). Well, it was these three tracks, which served as an appetizer for "Antidotes" released at the start of 2008, that caught my attention: "Try This On Your Piano," "Mathletics," "Hummer" led me to categorize the Foals' sound alongside the very early Bloc Party, the Battles, and even evoke some memories of King Crimson's "Discipline," especially in the use of intertwined electric riffs. In short, the Foals expertly play the part of Math Rock with that heterogeneous and unusual rhythmic structure, angular melodies, sounds that go beyond the realms of traditional rock, dissonant strings, and great technical experimentation. The sounds are very intense, varied, with a truly well-structured use of the synth, percussion reminiscent of Afro music, and even room for saxophone. Truly a convincing debut.
Heralded by the syncopated and instrumental single "Balloons" and propelled by the no less hypnotic "Cassius", "Antidotes" stands out for the vivacity and complexity of tracks that, although short, are extremely articulated on average. "The French Open", for example, which opens the album, is almost entirely instrumental and draws from the Battles' repertoire, with an added attempt to bring that type of music to a more "popular" audience. "Red Sock Pugie" opens and spreads out against an exhausting percussive backdrop surrounded by layers of synth. After "Olympic Airways", another enthralling instrumental follows in the lineup with "Electric Bloom,” a less vibrant piece with post-rock musical reminiscences. "Two Steps, Twice", "Like Swimming", and "Big Big Love" are other clear Math-style instrumentals. "Heavy Water" is a song, also sung, more essential and clean based on drums and guitar. The album closes with "Tron," also hypnotic, but with the synthesizer more prominent, unlike the other tracks.
In conclusion, "Antidotes" and more broadly the Foals have the merit of delivering a truly interesting and long-awaited debut. The album even reached third place in the UK charts during its release week. "Antidotes" is a work that is not simple and not commercial as it is based on a foundation that is not purely "popular", but this too is an advantage. Some might argue that the Foals' music could be too repetitive (which is true, by the way), yet this very aspect could paradoxically be a plus for the "Oxfordian" band in the long run. As far as I'm concerned, it will certainly be on my list of the best albums of 2008.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Cassius (03:49)
Cassius is over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams okay!
Cassius an accident!
Cassius an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Cassius its over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams okay!
Lighthouse (Life) is an accident!
The lighthouse (Love) is an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! at best, it's all that we could do
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! at best, it's all that we could do
All that we could do
(Break)
Cassius, is over! You're second best!
Cassius, it's over! You're second best!
It's over! You're second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Cassius is over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams okay!
Lighthouse (Life) is an accident!
The lighthouse (Love) is an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! at best, it's all that we could do
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! at best, it's all that we could do
All that we could do
(Break)
Cassius, is over! You're second best!
Cassius, it's over! You're second best!
It's over! You're second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! at best, it's all that we could do
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! at best, it's all that we could do
All that we could do.
04 Olympic Airways (04:18)
Sun up, we wait all day
Sun's up, we wait all day, all day
While the hell outside is kept away
If only we could move away from here
This is how we build a place
An aviary for today
An aviary for today
Let's disappear till tomorrow
Let's disappear till tomorrow
Disappear
Disappear
Disappear
Blow up these plane parades, let's go
To an aviary far from home
To an aviary far from home
A one hand clap is me and you, and you, and you
While the hell outside is kept away
If only we'd moved away
Disappear
Disappear
Disappear
Last vacation was the same
We could move away
Last vacation was the same
We could move away
Last vacation was the same
(The same)
Sun down now
We have built our place
An aviary
Forever
An aviary
Forever
Forever
Forever
Reappear, oh
Reappear, oh
Reappear, oh
Reappear, oh
05 Electric Bloom (04:54)
This is our warning shot, your final call
An empty maw or gurning hearts, hollowed crowns
And all I see is marching bands
Marching bands which never rest in broken stands
Butcherbirds with useless throats
We're not safe of dying kings with plastic knives
It's just another hospital
It's just another, it's just another
Captains made with metal tags
Flags brought down of hollowed crowns
It's everything without a time
It's just a, it's just a
It's just another hospital
It's just another, it's just another
It's just another hospital
It's just another, it's just another
Goodbye all, your marching bands
Laid to rest in broken stands
Butcherbirds will fly away
This is not a warning call nor final shot
All I see is butcherbirds will fly away, electric bloom
It's just another hospital
It's just another, it's just another
It's just another hospital
It's just another, it's just another
06 Balloons (03:01)
There's a thing called
There's this thing called
We fly balloons on this fuel called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
What's a chkacha?
What's a fuel called?
Fairweather storms are in your head
Fairweather storms are in your head
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
09 Big Big Love (Fig. 2) (05:47)
See how the skulls we built
Fill, all the towers we fill.
crush down fury red
It cracks in our hearts and heads.
Smile Sticks a kiss
That could stop it.
All could be well
See how the skulls we built
Fill, all the towers we fill.
crush down fury red
It cracks in our hearts and heads.
Place we can hide.
Ow, Electric shocks, no! (x8)
See how the skulls we built
Fill, all the towers we fill.
crush down fury red
It cracks in our hearts and heads.
Smile sticks a kiss That could stop (2x)
Smile sticks a kiss
Smile mile sticks a kiss (2x)
All could be well
Ow, Electric shocks, no! (x4)
11 Tron (04:53)
Away, away, in this system there is another country place we could go
Away, away, in this system there is another country place we could go
Away, away, in this system there is flower shock by which I mean to say
Away, away, in this system there is another country place we could go
Away, away, away, away, away, away, away...
If something won't heal, children can't help you out
If something won't heal, children can't help you out
If something won't heal, compass can't help you out
If something won't heal, children can't help you out
Away, away, in this system there is a flower shock by which I mean to say
Away, away, in this system there is another country place we could go
Away, away, away, away, away, away, away...
Waste this all away!
If something won't heal, children can't help us out
If something won't heal, children can't help us out
If something won't heal, compass can't help you out
Nothing's gonna end - why don't we quiet down?
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