Antidotes

Oxford's Foals didn't release their debut full-length, Antidotes, until the spring of 2008, but they had already begun to make quite a name for themselves, thanks to the singles "Hummer" and "Mathletics," and successful dates in the U.S. the preceding autumn.

This meant that the anticipation for the record had plenty of time to grow. Fortunately, Antidotes is able to live up to the hype. Frontman Yannis Philippakis uses his limited vocal range to his greatest advantage, moving from yelps to half-whispered singing depending on the intensity of the piece.

The album may have only two types of songs: the faster, punchier ones and the slower, spacier ones. However, Foals keep melody and hookiness at the forefront of their minds, adding a sense of cohesion to the record.

Producer Dave Sitek introduced saxophones, ambient keyboards, and occasional electronic elements to the Foals' arrangements, which worked well and prevented the tracks from completely blending into one another. The two guitars pick out cascading notes against one another, the bass borrows from both Interpol and Gang of Four, and Philippakis' voice cries out wonderfully in repetition.

The occasional horn bursts, electronic chops, and blips truly complete the songs, making Antidotes not merely a lesson in post-new wave noodling, but evidence of the power and excitement of the genre and music itself.