Description
Foalsrsquo creative ambition for lsquoEverything Not Saved Will Be Lost ndash Part 1rsquo resulted in a striking stateoftheworldaddress of an album in which apocalyptic lyrical themes were equalled by the sheer impact of the music. It emerged as an immediate album of the year contender, with many hailing it as the finest moment in a consistently critically acclaimed career. That status was cemented when it was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize last week.Now Foals complete that artistic statement with the October 18th release of lsquoEverything Not Saved Will Be Lost ndash Part 2rsquo. The album has been launched with the lead track lsquoBlack Bullrsquo, which is Annie Macrsquos Hottest Record in the World.ldquoPart two is a heavier listen, the guitars are more emphasised and therersquos some big riffs on it,rdquo explained Philippakis in an interview with NME. ldquoItrsquos a rock record and it definitely carries on the narrative from part one. Part one ended with a lot of fire and destructive imagery, part two is trying to respond to that how you can continue in the wreckage and through the scorched earth Wersquore just excited for people to hear it because it completes the journey of what wersquove made over the last yearandahalf.rdquoWhereas lsquoPart 1rsquo melded Foalsrsquo disparate influences into a thrilling melting pot of sounds, much of lsquoPart 2rsquo simmers with pure visceral intensity. lsquoThe Runnerrsquo and lsquoBlack Bullrsquo are streamlined attacks, with vehement rhythmic onslaughts the foundation for even bigger riffs. Itrsquos an approach that also informs lsquo10,000 Feetrsquo, as it lurches ominously from dreamy soundscapes into a heavyweight collision of postpunk and psychedelia. Yet lsquoPart 2rsquo also echoes the opening chapterrsquos eclectic nature. The cinematic instrumentals lsquoRed Desertrsquo and lsquoIkariarsquo underline that lsquoEverything Not Saved Will Be Lostrsquo is a journey rather than a mere collection of songs, while lsquoWash Offrsquo marries manic world musictinged grooves with a punklike intensity.And while lsquoPart 2rsquo extends its predecessorrsquos exploration of contemporary concerns ndash toxic masculinity in lsquoBlack Bullrsquo, humanityrsquos dependency on tech in lsquoWash Offrsquo ndash the overall tone is set by lsquoThe Runnerrsquo, which hones in on the importance of fighting back against the odds. That defiance detours into tenderly romantic territory with lsquoInto The Surfrsquo before the 10minute lsquoNeptunersquo ndash somehow feeling like both a requiem and an elegy ndash brings proceedings to a close in exploratory yet emotive style. This album, like lsquoPart 1rsquo, was produced by Foals themselves Yannis Philippakis vocalsguitar, Jimmy Smith guitar, Jack Bevan drums and Edwin Congreave keys, with Philippakis and Congreave contributing bass too.
