Foals

Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost (Part 1)

For the most part, Foals stick to what they know ... The Brit rockers fully understand what they excel at, and they take advantage of the syncopated brashness that they best exemplify.

Without the need to shoehorn every single idea onto on LP, we get a taut Foals record that runs less than forty minutes and that has one, consistently identifiable strand of sonic DNA running through it.

It is difficult to view Part 1 outside of its full context, yet listeners can hear both ambition and a refusal to stagnate on these songs.

Whether or not all of these stylistic shifts find some common ground with the release of volume two remains to be seen, but there's no denying the vitality that runs through this ten-song set, nor the inescapable feeling of doom.

‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1’ is not as immediate as previous releases, nor is it as infectious. It meanders more than it should and its structure isn’t as pronounced as on, say, ‘Holy Fire’.

The “Part 1” appellation to Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost is deflating as it is foretelling—Foals are half-stepping all over this thing.

While more worthwhile than Foals' last few albums, this first half of Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost doesn't arouse too much excitement for Part 2.

Foals are not yet a bad band, they are still too competent for that, but this record's promise is blunted by its workmanlike enthusiasm.

Everything Not Saved is a fun record, but it’s hard to say if it will leave the mark that their ambitions lead us to believe they want it to.

UK rockers aim high on prog-pop concept set, with muddled, mostly generic results.