Foals: Antidotes

Label: Sub Pop

At first my reaction was “ho-hum, more post-punk revivalists,” but there are so many unusual touches that this is not more angularity-by-numbers. Sometimes it’s a little like Akron/Family chanting Franz Ferdinand songs, sometimes it’s more like the Rapture playing TV on the Radio. There are quirky horn charts, and the twirling, percussive guitar lines sometimes sound like they were transcribed from African 45s (say, Thomas Mapfumo’s chimurenga), or, when drenched in effects (“Red Socks Pugie”), like shoegazers dropped into the middle of a disco-punk-ska party band. There are two bonus tracks to attract fans who already have the English edition. (Steve)