Foals - My Number
From Antidotes five years ago, to Total Life Forever in 2010, and now Holy Fire, Foals have progressed smoothly from a talented but erratic math rock group to one with top notch saviours of indie credentials. Not that they didn’t show a melodic ear from the start, mind: you can trace a fairly steady path from Olympic Airways, through to My Number and hear the same guitar motifs running its length. What you won’t find in earlier songs that you might spot on some of Holy Fire’s standout tracks, however, are the clean edges and direct purpose. It’s the honing of a sound, without losing what made it so special in the first place; removing the distractions while keeping the interest.