Album of the Week: Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2 — Foals
Returning with their second album of the year, indie-sensation Foals are tasked with tackling serious socio-economic issues and simultaneously maintaining the quality that fans have come to expect. Have they managed to do so? Newcomer Holly Whitmarsh-Jones takes on our Album of the Week.
“She’s out & she’s pretty pretty. Feeling proud of me & the boys today. It was a rocky road at times but we got to the top of the mountain & the view is beautiful.” — Foals, 18th October 2019
Returning with their second release of 2019, Oxford natives Foals debuted their highly anticipated sixth studio album, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2. The sequel to March release Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1 maintains Foals’ distinctive melodic, indie sound throughout. Though the band’s mix of driving guitar and drum leads have garnered critical acclaim both here and in the past, it feels, on a first listen at least, that the band is following the formula of their previous releases; could the decision to maintain this same sound be playing it too safe?
The album’s second track and second single released from the album, “The Runner”, continues the narrative of Foals’ Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1. In an interview with NME that took place earlier this year, the band’s frontman Yannis Philippakis stated that “part one ended with a lot of fire and destructive imagery, part two is trying to respond to that: how can you continue in the wreckage and through the scorched earth?”. Carrying the previous album’s narrative across to this subsequent project finally provides an answer to the enigmas Part 1 ended on. The song as a whole expresses the narrator’s desire to dust himself off and carry on moving forward after the catastrophic events of Part 1. The continual lyrical references to “shadows” and loneliness shows an internal conflict (or perhaps external conflict in the world that Foals have created throughout the two albums) that the narrator is faced with. However, with the repetition within the chorus “when I fall down, I’ll keep on running” shows a sense of perseverance; a willingness to carry on that will be further explored as the album progresses.
“Black Bull”, the fourth track on the album, was the album’s lead single. The choice to select this track as the first single feels carefully orchestrated, expressing a darker, heavier side of Foals’ comparative to ENSWBL Part 1. The inclusion of grunts and screams alongside the heavier guitar riffs helps to signal an abrupt stylistic change. Despite contemplations from online critics that sticking within the same indie-rock genre could mean that Foals’ are unwilling to experiment, “Black Bull” symbolises that they don’t want to simply fit in with their previous releases. Foals are marking their drive to make a statement and to truly be heard, all while completing a cohesive double album.
The narrative structure that runs through the entirety of the album is enhanced through Foals’ use of instrumentals. Introductory track “Red Desert” creates a smooth transition between the two albums and is only the starting point, paving the way for subsequent tracks.
Instrumental tracks are also used by Foals to change the tone of the album, most notably with “Ikaria”. “Ikaria” sits on the second half of the album and signifies the beginning of side two. Foals’ use of a melodic piano interlude breaks away from the grungier sound already present in earlier tracks, foreshadowing the slower pace and melancholic lyrical presence in the songs yet to come. Relating this to the contexts that surround the album, Philippakis commented in an interview with DIY Magazine on how side two is “starting to move away from Britain and the context of [modern society]”. Foals’ go on to look at a variety of cultures and societies through this catastrophic lens.
Diving more into the historical context explored on side two of the album, “Into The Surf” represents Greek culture in its theme surrounding death. The basic premise of this song relates to the grief experienced by someone when they’re away from home. Philippakis, himself being born on the island of Karpathos, compares “Into The Surf” with Greek folk songs, stating that they’re “always to do with the immigration of Greek people and how dying on foreign shores is always viewed as the worst fate — to die far away from your home and your family”. The vocals and the synths used on the track, particularly in the intro and outro, are angelic and archaic as if frontman-and-producer Phillipakis aimed to grieve those lost in the recent migrant crises. Ultimately, this track is aural pathos, appealing to audience emotions on a topic often hard to comprehend in the UK.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2. This album isn’t one to be taken on face value. The narrative holds many intricacies that follow on from previous works, which Foals’ fans all across the globe will be able to follow and fully engage with. It even draws in people, like myself, who have only recently started listening to Foals by building on a complex musical narrative. If you look at it for what it is, I suppose you could say it’s another enjoyable, indie-rock album. When you look into it more critically, it’s so much more. It’s political, it makes a statement on our society and the societies of others. Foals are certainly storytellers in the music medium and their narrative is well-executed over the ten songs. It’ll be interesting to see what they decide to put out to the world next, but given that they’ve already released two albums this year alone I wouldn’t be surprised if we have to wait a long time before the next chapter comes to light.
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