After
Foals
scrapped the mix of their debut,
Antidotes
, by
TV on the Radio
's
Dave Sitek
, it was clear that they were a band that was interested in creating their own sound. That sentiment may be why their follow-up,
Total Life Forever
, sounds more like a reaction to their first record than a continuation of it. Many of the elements that drove
into the spotlight in the first place are definitely still in place. There's plenty of cascading,
Minus the Bear
-style guitar work and funky
Talking Heads
influence in their math-pop-meets-the-dancefloor rhythms. What's missing is the edge.
is considerably more subdued than its predecessor, lacking much of the uptempo thump found on
. In its place is a mellower, more spacious sound. While this new sound is still danceable, it's far more refined than the angular post-punk riffing that fans might be expecting. Right from the beginning, the album-opening,
"Blue Blood"
makes it clear that
are taking a different, more patient approach to songwriting, letting the song build and build on itself as it methodically works itself into a frenzy before leaving the way it came in. Because of the changes here, fans of the early, pre-
singles may find
to be too restrained, lacking the youthful vigor of their debut. Where some see restraint, others may very well see refinement, and those who appreciated
' more spacy passages will find that
Foals'
reinvention of their sound is a calculated risk that definitely pays off. ~ Gregory Heaney