08.

Foals

Holy Fire

Foals’ best record to date, Holy Fire, begins – after a mesmeric prelude – with the brilliant ‘Inhaler’, a track that starts with a tinkling guitar refrain reminiscent of their earlier work before surprisingly bursting into a pugilistic assault on the senses.  It’s easily Foals at their heaviest and most vital, and acts as a significant statement of intent.  However, the album doesn’t then stick to that blueprint: things are thoroughly mixed up by the likes of the floaty ‘Bad Habit’, the dripping ‘Moon’, and of course the brilliant power-pop of ‘My Number’.  I know many Foals fans hated ‘My Number’, because it was ‘too commercial’ and didn’t fit the more experimental vibe of the rest of the record.  For me, though, it is an utter classic, and one of the best stand-alone tracks of 2013.  Its place on Holy Fire injects a welcome seam of catchiness in an otherwise initially opaque set of songs.  It was my way in, and I still think it’s the best track on show.  Overall, this record is more challenging and varied than what they have done before, shows progression in virtually all respects, and slow burnt its way – over a number of months – from an album that I liked to one that I loved.

Sample track: ‘My Number’