Foals - Olympic Airways Single Review (2008)

A single review for The Music Magazine. I have never paid much attention to Foals but I was intrigued by the 'live' performances for various radio shows - I think the band appeared on BBC Radio 2 for Jonathan Ross as well as 6music.

The review:

With a debut album received with what can only be described as a lukewarm reception, Foals is another band that needs to live up to the early hype. Yet it seems that Yannis Philippakis et al are more comfortable just keeping their heads down until the media storm clears and they can just get one with it. Even the NME are now on the fence.

Earlier this year Foals performed a short session for BBC 6music in which they reworked previous singles ‘Cassius’ and ‘Red Sox Pugie’ with acoustic guitars. The concept of an unplugged set is nothing new but somehow they made it a revelation, probably because it was so different and unexpected. The band were wide open for everyone to hear, raw and unhinged. They were clearly more than just another copycat indie lad-rock outfit. Back in January the band made number 5 in the BBC Sound of 2008 Top 10, behind Glasvegas but ahead of Vampire Weekend, Black Kids and MGMT. The question is: have they done enough to justify this early praise?

‘Olympic Airways’ is a topical (it is still an Olympic year) story of escapism centred around using an avian metaphor to describe long haul travel. Opening with soft guitar and a simple drum beat, held together with droning keyboards, it is trademark stuff as the lead guitar picking and bass begin a melody. Foals certainly have a sound that is distinctive and recognisable. In contrast to the musically urgency, Philippakis is in very subdued mode - his vocals flowing like molten chocolate. “If only we could move away, from here / This is how we built a place: an aviary for today… Let’s disappear ’til tomorrow”. He is distant and reflective until the big shouty chorus repeats ‘disappear’ over and over. There is a neat guitar break and pulsating bass before more warbling guitars. What should be a quick outro turns into a strange last minute of pseudo-improvised bass driven emptiness and a bit more of the same, as the solid three minute mould is broken.

Ultimately ‘Olympic Airways’ is not as annoying as big single ‘Cassius’ but not as good as last offering ‘Red Sox Pugie’. As a fourth single it continues to promote the album, but nothing more. Bassist Walter Gervers is exceptional as is the guitar duelling from Jimmy Smith and Philippakis but the whole song lacks any impact. Foals desperately need to break out of their comfortable world and add some interesting new ideas while maintaining their great sound. On this evidence, the difficult second album could prove to be more difficult than they expect.

-- CS (for The Music Magazine)