album of the week: 2.4

Foals
Holy Fire
(2013)

why you'll love it:  nice guitars, consistent, easy on the ears

why you'll hate it:  fails at being cool, clever, or emotionally evocative.


When Foals burned their post-punk bridges in 2010 with the sophomore release, Total Life Forever, I was one of many who gave them hell for it.  It wasn't just the genre they turned away from.  It's what replaced it.  Droning moody songs that dragged on rather than riled up emotion, until a predictable climax.  Weak vocals that sound like any generic band.  And a whole lot of unnecessary studio effects and filters that try to create something out of nothing.

Sadly, this iteration of Foals seems to be here to stay.  Holy Fire tries to do what Total Life Forever attempted, and the best I can say is that it at least finds more success at it.  Going into this album with the second single in my head ("My Number"), I was looking forward to mathy-guitars making a triumphant return.  While they are more present on this album, they're not the focus.  Trying to write that perfect song that speaks to a whole generation is.  I think that is the vision quest of Foals.  To escape from what they saw as a small-pond niche (the success of their energetic punk debut), and become that "beacon of light" band that everyone rallies around.  The problem is they haven't developed a personality to replace what they ran from.

You can run down the track list and see who they are trying to impress.  The noodling opener, "Prelude" essentially does nothing.  It's got a soft build, and a mild release, but fails to leave a impression that what you are about to hear will be anything special.  "Inhaler" is a rebel cry, but trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator.  You try to make me believe you are a matured band, and then have lyrics like "I shimmy-shake.  I wake and bake."  Man, what?  "My Number", as fun as it is to listen to, is lyrically, a really smug "I'm too good for you" relationship song that wouldn't be above Justin Beiber to write.  The dueling closers, "Stepson" and "Moon" compete for what is the more emotional somber finale, but neither feel all that special.

Just like as in Total Life Forever, moments of pure talent shine through cracks in the artificial UK ballad-rock mold.  As bland as Yannis has become at singing / songwriting, none of these songs are something I would call bad.  Tepid, at worst.  I'd go as far to say that if you've never heard Antidotes before, you'd see less problems with this band; especially if you don't pay attention to lyrics all that much.  I find myself enjoying a good chunk of this album, but cannot shake the regret of wasted potential.  This band has, and still can create something much better, but they're still trying to chase a dream that is beyond their potential.