Antidotes (album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Antidotes
Studio album by Foals
Released 24 March 2008
Recorded 2007
Genre Indie rock, dance-punk, math rock
Length 44:04
Label Transgressive
Producer Foals, Dave Sitek
Foals chronology
Antidotes
(2008)
Total Life Forever
(2010)
Singles from Antidotes
  1. "Balloons"
    Released: 10 December 2007
  2. "Cassius"
    Released: 10 March 2008
  3. "Red Socks Pugie"
    Released: 9 June 2008
  4. "Olympic Airways"
    Released: 6 October 2008
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars[1]
Drowned in Sound (9/10)[2]
Gigwise 4.5/5 stars[3]
The Guardian 3/5 stars[4]
NME (7/10)[5]
The Observer 4/5 stars[6]
Pitchfork Media (5.9/10)[7]
Rolling Stone 3.5/5 stars[8]
The Times 4/5 stars[9]
Uncut 4/5 stars[10]

Antidotes is the debut studio album by British indie rock band Foals. It was released on 24 March 2008 in the United Kingdom on Transgressive Records,[11] and on 8 April 2008 in the United States through Sub Pop.[12] The album was recorded in Stay Gold Studios Brooklyn in summer 2007,[13] and was produced by TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek. However, Foals remixed Antidotes in London, complaining that he made it sound like it was "recorded in the Grand Canyon." [14]

It peaked at number three in the UK Albums Chart.[15] In the US, it reached a high of number 28 in Top Heatseekers, but failed to chart in the Billboard Top 200.[16] The album's themes are varied and cryptic, but are generally melancholic and focused on relationships. They are exemplified by the four singles: "Balloons", "Cassius", "Red Socks Pugie", and "Olympic Airways". The tracking of the parts was unorthodox in many ways ranging from drums recorded in alleyways on cassette tape recorders and then reprocessed through outboard gear to vocals being sung while moving round the room and brass performed by members of Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra directed to not play directly into the microphones.

The album received "generally favourable reviews" from critics.[17]

Contents

[edit] Recording

In an interview with MusFlashTV, Foals' drummer Jack Bevan said, "Our producer, David Sitek he was great because he didn't interfere in the actual recording progress. We kind of engineered it so that we would get the tracks down, get all of the sort of essential parts down and then, halfway through the recording he kind of came in, and when we were doing overdubs and that kind of thing, he sort of started to assist us with making it sort of fill out."

Yannis added "All the sounds were there, and he added a depth. He messed with the spaces around the sounds so there's this weird ambience on all the tracks."

[edit] Track listing

No. Title Length
1. "The French Open"   3:46
2. "Cassius"   3:50
3. "Red Socks Pugie"   5:09
4. "Olympic Airways"   4:19
5. "Electric Bloom"   4:55
6. "Balloons"   3:01
7. "Heavy Water"   4:32
8. "Two Steps, Twice"   4:39
9. "Big Big Love (Fig. 2)"   5:47
10. "Like Swimming"   1:58
11. "Tron"   4:48

[edit] Chart positions

Country Peak position Certification Sales
United Kingdom #3 Gold [18] 25,292 (first week)
Japan #80 2,521 (first week)
France #84
The Netherlands #99
New Zealand #99
U.S. Top Heatseekers #28

[edit] References

Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages