Many bands make lots of changes on their progression from their debut album to their second one. I can spend all day listing bands that have done this number, but I'm not going to waste your time. Foals does that on their sophomore LP Total Life Forever. Their debut isn't bad, but lack the passion that Total Life Forever shows. With very drastic build ups like "Spanish Sahara" and jangly guitar lines on "Total Life Forever", Foals put themselves on a very definitive place of alternative dance.
Opening with the very fun "Blue Blood" the mood is set for Total Life Forever immediately. Talking Heads funky counter rhythms and math rock influenced dance tunes transcend the unique sound that Foals are establishing. "Blue Blood" shows listeners how much more patient Foals have become to where they wait to build up their sound and let it explode out.
A lot of the tracks on Total Life sound like a mix of '90s alternative music mixed in with some post-punk. The drum work on "This Orient" shows the post-punk side while the very quirky guitar lines show the alternative side. The many genres that are crossed throughout Total Life is interesting and intriguing a provide for a fresh listen. A lot more dreamy than Antidotes, Total Life have a more laid back and "chill" feel to it's overall spacey feel.
The most interesting song of Total Life Forever is the six minute danceable tune "After Glow". Again, the post punk plus alternative is ever so present on "After Glow" but is perfected through the very heavy plastered bass line and experimental guitar lines. Sadly, even being six minutes, the very fun song finishes far to early.
The vocals of Total Life Forever is fairly consistent throughout; spacey and distant with most of the time inaudible lyrics. It's very unique when combined with the rest of the elements going on through Foals' sound. On the very moody atmospheric track "2 Trees", the vocals of Yannis Philippakis are dreamy, and are captured perfectly above the intriguing guitar lines with the complex beat of the drum. It all makes for Philippakis's best performance on the LP.
Overall Foals truly improves on their sound to create a unique combo of post-punk and alternative dance-like structures. Very spacey vocals and thrilling guitars flood the waves of Foals' new, more polished definitive sound on their very impressive sophomore LP Total Life Forever.
Overall: 8.3/10
Track Listing:
1. Blue Blood - 9.0
2. Miami - 8.0
3. Total Life Forever - 8.5
4. Black Gold - 8.5
5. Spanish Sahara - 8.5
6. This Orient - 8.0
7. Fugue - 7.0
8. After Glow - 9.0
9. Albaster - 8.0
10. 2 Trees - 9.0
11. What Remains - 8.0
Sample:
"Miami"
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