What Went Down is the fourth full-length album from British indie-rock band Foals. As a follow up to their 2013 release Holy Fire, it doesn’t disappoint. In What Went Down, Foals perfects their raucous sound while incorporating darker lyrics and more aggressive vocals.
The LP starts off strong with the title track. It’s an explosive number whose rowdy, buzzing guitars and biographical lyrics set the stage for the album as a whole. The following songs, “Mountain at My Gates” and “Birch Tree,” are less aggressive and more introspective, but just as catchy and dance-worthy. The middle tracks do seem to lose their way for a while, but the album regains momentum with “Night Swimmers.” It’s a fast paced number that feels best on full volume while you’re driving down a city freeway at late at night. The stripped-down “London Thunder“ and deceptively upbeat “Lonely Hunter“ sound like two sides of the same world-weary, exhausted artist coin, and sound best played back to back. Finally, “A Knife in the Ocean,” an ambitious seven minute effort, rounds out the album and perfectly primes fans for their second listen to the record.
What Went Down is an excellent album, and definitely worth a listen if you’re into indie rock.
Recommended If You Like: The Black Keys, Royal Blood, Bloc Party, Cage the Elephant
Recommended Tracks: 1 (What Went Down), 2 (Mountain at My Gates), 3 (Birch Tree), 7 (Night Swimmers), 9 (Lonely Hunter)
Do Not Play: None
Written by Hannah Nelson on 09/09/15