poppedmusic

Foals – On The Luna

Words: Megan Berridge

‘Antidotes’ was the first CD I ever bought for myself. Yeah, my mum had got me the ‘Pop Party’ and Kylie Minogue albums before, but that was the first album I spent my own money on. It’s a very personal thing for me. The first band I really established a connection with because I found them.

So, you can imagine how I felt seeing Foals back on my Spotify. My musical husbands treating me on Valentines Day. Oh, how they do me good! This cheeky little number, following January’s ‘Exits’, is called ‘On The Luna’.

A blitz of metallic synth swirls over and underneath a whirlwind of brisk and resonating guitar and a spate of tinny cowbell. Instantly, all I can hear is ‘Antidotes’ in a sumptuous blend with ‘What Went Down’.

The vocals come in, but something sounds different. Something doesn’t sound right. Yannis’ voice has been torn up — jagged around the edges. Let’s be honest on first listening, it sounds like he has been smoking 40 a day since ‘Exits’. But my oh my, this new roughness, this Otis Redding gravelleyness is very alluring.

The song repeats this rock ‘n’ roll spaceship loop throughout the whole three minutes with the addition of some glistening 80s-inspired synth. But at no point do they lose touch of their innate Foalsness. An intense thrumming of palm muted guitar breaks the mould toward the end of the track, building back up into the chorus. Then it’s over. If this is what their singles sound like, I can’t wait for the album.

LIVE

MARCH – INTIMATE SHOWS – JUST ANNOUNCED

4^th – Manchester, Gorilla
5^th – Edinburgh, Liquid Rooms
7^th – London, Earth

JUNE – SUMMER TOUR

11^th – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse (SOLD OUT)
12^th – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse (SOLD OUT)
14^th – Tunbridge Wells, Bedgebury Pinetum
15^th – Birmingham, Digbeth Arena (SOLD OUT)
16^th – Birmingham, Digbeth Arena
18^th – Glasgow, SWG3 Yard (SOLD OUT)
20^th – Thetford, Thetford Forest
21^st – London, Alexandra Palace (SOLD OUT)
22^nd – London, Alexandra Palace
26^th – Bournemouth, International Centre