Antidotes
by Foals
  • Record Label: Sub Pop
  • Release Date: Apr 8, 2008
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 83 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 83
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 83
  3. Negative: 6 out of 83

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  1. DaveH.
    Apr 15, 2008
    3
    If the rest of the album is anything like Cassius it's awful. When will people learn that English indie bands are absolute rubbish- theres a new one every week producing the same rubbish!
  2. MikeF.
    Apr 10, 2008
    9
    Beautifully accomplished for a first album. Up there with Arctic Monkeys, Klaxons, Bloc Party, et al, of this newest Brit invasion. Highly recommended.
  3. ChristianP.
    Apr 9, 2008
    8
    Great debut. However it is ABSURD to call this math rock. Is every song in 4/4? NOT MATH ROCK. Common sense people.
  4. DRSu
    May 2, 2008
    9
    Not as frenetic as the early EPs but after the 10th it sneaks up on you and you notice the nuances in tracks you thought were duds. (see Electic Bloom, Big Big Love #2 and the ridiculously good Heavy Water).
  5. GeorgiaF.
    Apr 1, 2008
    10
    Mathletes? Whatever you want to call them, they've combined math rock, afropop, and dance rock, setting a daring new paradigm & an impossibly high benchmark for other indie johnny come latelies to gaze up at nervously. Smashing. Will be considered "breakthrough" by summer in the US. Give us an extra 18 months to let it sink in, but we're trying at least.
  6. SachinP.
    Apr 13, 2008
    9
    Not at all overrated! Yes, Yannis's vocals are slightly yelpish and the lyrics appear to make little sense, but is this not a more organic take on the 'voice-as-instrument' vibe championed by math-rock bands such as Battles? Musically, the album is almost perfect, wavering between tight, insectoid dissonance and atonality, and Klaxons-esque challenging anthemic electro-pop. Not at all overrated! Yes, Yannis's vocals are slightly yelpish and the lyrics appear to make little sense, but is this not a more organic take on the 'voice-as-instrument' vibe championed by math-rock bands such as Battles? Musically, the album is almost perfect, wavering between tight, insectoid dissonance and atonality, and Klaxons-esque challenging anthemic electro-pop. It's math-pop, if you will, and full of excitement and tension that rarely breaks. The use of stabs of brass is assiduous, so credit where its due to Dave Sitek, but, over all, congratulations to the band for striking out on their own and wanting to make an intentionally emotionally distant album. We don't criticise authors for using such a tone to convey unease, so why are so many reviewers quick to criticise this album for the same crime? In short, I can't think of a British album that will top this all y unlistenable ear: it does succeed in being different from the rest of the crowd, and not in an manner at all.… Expand
  7. MattA.
    Apr 9, 2008
    6
    Overrated. See Bloc Party' Silent Alarm for something similar but executed much more effectively.
  8. danielw.
    May 17, 2008
    10
    Absolutely brilliant, such a good beat throughout. Best album of 2008 so far!
  9. Raininbows
    Feb 19, 2011
    8
    'Tis a pretty strong debut! Was flirting with being harsh and giving it a 7, but I think it just about deserves an 8. With a strong balance of Indie anthems and soundscapey journeys like Olympic Airways and Big Big Love, it's got a good variety. There are a couple of lame ish ventures in the form of Red Socks Puge and Electric Bloom, but other than that, damn fine.
  10. Ricko
    Nov 25, 2014
    7
    A decent record throughout and if you wanted one word to describe it I would say solid. This is much more frantic stuff than the band's two albums output since which are more in the typical indie rock/pop vein. Some will argue that this is where Foals sound at their most unique and what they have done since fails to stand out to the same extent. While I appreciate the serious rhythmicA decent record throughout and if you wanted one word to describe it I would say solid. This is much more frantic stuff than the band's two albums output since which are more in the typical indie rock/pop vein. Some will argue that this is where Foals sound at their most unique and what they have done since fails to stand out to the same extent. While I appreciate the serious rhythmic pieces on display on ANTIDOTES and the lightning in a bottle guitar work, for me their later work is more substantial and more satisfying.… Expand
  11. normankant
    Jun 9, 2015
    5
    This album is one of the cornerstones of what silly indie pop is. It contains some hints of math-rock (IMHO an useless sub-genre of prog-rock) but they seem really out of place and casual. There's no real sound research or study under this album, which is also difficult to hear from start to finish.
  12. BouchetSmith
    Feb 28, 2018
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Rythmically it's interesting, because the drummer is amazing. Unfortunately, this brand of 'math-rock' or prog-rock, whetever you want to call it, doesn't provide any emotion. Music should be about making you feel a type of way, but this album just doesn't do that, because it focuses too much on the intellectual aspect of the music. It reminds me of Silent Alarm by Bloc Party in that regard, except BP provide more emotion despite being a similar style of indie rock.… Expand
  13. Sheva271102
    Sep 15, 2019
    8
    Well, Antidotes by Foals in a great math rock debut album. It has a lot of energy that Foals have. (8/10)

    Favorite tracks: Olympic Airways and Tron.
    Least favorite tracks: Red Socks Pugie and Like Swimming.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Drowned In Sound
    90
    Promise delivered, divided by expectations frenzied, multiplied by still-evident potential for future releases… equals a Pitchfork-style 8.6.
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  2. musicOMH.com
    80
    They do make thoroughly exciting music that becomes quickly airborne, able to move the listener to a different plane with disarming ease.
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  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    70
    Their debut sounds sleek and exhilarating, although Foals seem cautious about completely breaking out of the punk-funk strictures that have confined them so far.
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