Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, Part 2

Oxford, England’s Foals burst onto the scene in 2008 with their debut, Antidotes, and quickly became known for being an exceptional live act, thanks to performances at notable festivals like Glastonbury and Coachella. Their zeal for touring is apparently unquenchable – and it seems their work ethic also extends to their studio output: they have released five studio albums so far, including Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1, which was released just this past March. Now comes Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2, released Oct. 18.

As with Part 1, this second installment seems as though it was written with large-scale shows in mind. These are epic-aspiring rock songs that conjure up visions of dazzling light shows and rousing crowd sing-alongs. “Red Desert,” the dramatic synth instrumental opener, has a cinematic quality – you can visualize how this track will set the scene as the band strides onto the stage. Then “The Runner” swoops in with a funky, jaunty vibe that seems guaranteed to get an audience jumping. “Wash Off” keeps the high-energy groove going, with a staccato beat rising up into a euphoric, expansive chorus, then “Black Bull” ups the drums to a bombastic crash alongside a crunchy guitar riff.

It’s not all amped-up adrenaline, though: “Dreaming Of” starts with a shimmering opening, then morphs into a breezy melody that gradually builds to a textured, expansive crescendo. Even more downtempo is “Neptune,” a trancey, ethereal ballad stretches on for more than 10 minutes, finishing the album with a beautifully brooding flourish.

These are not terribly groundbreaking rock songs, and they may seem a little overblown for living room listening, but they probably are going to sound just fine at a show near you soon.

Foals
Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2
[Warner]