Total Life Forever

Total Life Forever
Studio album by Foals
Released 10 May 2010 (2010-05-10)[1]
Recorded September 2009[2]
Svenska Grammofon Studios, Gothenburg, Sweden[3]
Genre Indie rock, alternative dance, post-rock[4]
Length 50:21
Label Transgressive
Producer Luke Smith[1]
Foals chronology
Antidotes
(2008)		 Total Life Forever
(2010)
Singles from Total Life Forever
  1. "Spanish Sahara"
    Released: 17 April 2010
  2. "This Orient"
    Released: 3 May 2010
  3. "Miami"
    Released: 4 July 2010
  4. "Blue Blood"
    Released: 8 November 2010

Total Life Forever is the second studio album by British indie rock band Foals, released on 10 May 2010 through Transgressive Records.[5] Prior to the album's release, the band described it as souding "like the dream of an eagle dying".[6] It was produced by Luke Smith,[1] and was recorded at Svenska Grammofon Studion in Gothenburg.[3] Upon its release, the album charted in numerous countries worldwide, including number eight in the UK Albums Chart.

Contents

Promotion and release

In January 2009, the band released three semi-instrumental segments of tracks through the band's MySpace profile, giving an insight into the band's recording process.[7] A short three date tour of the United Kingdom took place in April 2009.[8]

During July 2009, the band played an intimate show for Rockfeedback, as a warm up for future festival shows and a chance to debut songs from their second album.[9] On 2 July, the band supported Blur during their reunion show in Hyde Park, London, playing an untitled new song which frontman Yannis Philippakis stated was unfinished.[10] Later the same month, the band appeared at the 2009 T in the Park festival, performing new songs "Total Life Forever" and "Dirty Waves". Both songs had been previously aired during the band's appearance at The Breeders-curated All Tomorrow's Parties festival in May 2009.[11] In September 2009, the band performed at London's Heaven as part of Transgressive Records' fifth anniversary, performing new songs "Spanish Sahara", "Death Surf" and one other untitled track.[12]

The album's title was revealed on 24 February 2010.[13] Zane Lowe premiered the promotional track "Spanish Sahara" on BBC Radio 1, naming the track his "Hottest Record in the World" for 1 March 2010.[14] From 8pm the same day, a remix of the track was made available to download from Foals' official website.[15] The accompanying video was added to Foals' YouTube page on 2 March 2010.[16] A limited number vinyl of "Spanish Sahara" was released on 17 April 2010, to mark the 2010 Record Store Day.[17] In support of the album, the band announced a fourteen date tour of Europe throughout April–May 2010, including dates in Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and the United Kingdom.[18][19] These were the band's first live performances of the year.[20]

Following "Spanish Sahara"'s limited release, the album's first official single was announced as "This Orient", released on 3 May 2010.[21][22] The track reached number 97 on the UK Singles Chart.[23] Second single "Miami" was then released on 4 July 2010.[24] It reached #127 on the same chart. Third single "Blue Blood" was released on 8 November 2010.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [25]
Clash (8/10)[26]
Drowned in Sound (7/10)[27]
The Fly [28]
The Guardian [29]
The Independent [30]
NME (8/10)[31]
Pitchfork Media (7.6/10)[32]
Rock Sound (8/10)[33]
Q Magazine[34]

Total Life Forever received considerable critical acclaim; many commented how the band's music has matured from their debut album. Review aggregator Metacritic gave the album a normalised rating of 79%, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[35]

The writers and editors of the free UK magazine "The Fly" voted for Total Life Forever as the best album of 2010. A readers poll also voted for it as album of the year.

The Q Magazine's reviewer, though, expressed some doubts. Calling it "the schizophrenic second album", Rupert Howe opined that "while this album carries more instrumental and emotional heft than its predecessor, something remains off-balance".

Besides being shortlisted for the 2010 Mercury Prize,[36] Total Life Forever brought the band several nominations for the 2011 NME awards, including best album, best track ("Spanish Sahara") and best album artwork.[37]

Accolades

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Drowned in Sound UK Albums of the Year 2010 33[38]
Mojo UK Top 50 Albums of 2010 2010 25[39]
NME UK Top 75 Albums of 2010 2010 6[40]
Q UK Top 50 Albums of 2010 2010 16[41]

Track listing

Standard edition[42]
No. Title Length
1. "Blue Blood"   5:17
2. "Miami"   3:42
3. "Total Life Forever"   3:18
4. "Black Gold"   6:26
5. "Spanish Sahara"   6:28
6. "This Orient"   4:06
7. "Fugue"   0:49
8. "After Glow"   6:09
9. "Alabaster"   4:00
10. "2 Trees"   5:11
11. "What Remains"   4:37
Deluxe edition CD 2[43]
No. Title Length
1. "Bloo Blood"   1:00
2. "Bloo Blood 2"   0:46
3. "TLF"   0:40
4. "TLF 2"   1:00
5. "TLF 3"   1:31
6. "TLF 4"   1:02
7. "TLF 5"   1:26
8. "Black Gold //"   2:53
9. "Black Gold 2"   8:30
10. "Spanish Sahara (Sonar)"   1:20
11. "----"   0:36
12. "Alabastr"   1:31
13. "Two Trees"   0:50
14. "Two Trees 2"   1:37
15. "Remains"   1:13
iTunes LP Bonus Tracks
No. Title Length
27. "The Forked Road"   5:37
28. "Wear & Tear"   4:24
29. "Spanish Sahara (Mount Kimbie Remix)"   4:00
30. "Spanish Sahara (Topher Jones Remix)"   7:18
31. "Spanish Sahara (Deadboy Remix)"   8:58
32. "Spanish Sahara (Chad Valley Remix)"   3:56
33. "Spanish Sahara (John Dahlback Remix)"   6:49
34. "Miami (MyMy Remix)"   6:49
35. "Miami (Sacha Funke Remix)"   8:23
36. "Miami (Tim Fuchs Remix) [Feat. Flight Facilities]"   6:36
37. "Miami (Lissvik Remix)"   5:26
38. "This Orient (Starkey Remix)"   4:42
39. "This Orient (Astronomer Remix)"   6:24
40. "Total Life Forever (iTunes Festival)"   5:04
41. "Miami (iTunes Festival)"   4:00
42. "Alabaster (iTunes Festival)"   4:49
43. "Miami (Glastonbury Acoustic)"   3:44
44. "Spanish Sahara (6 Music Glastonbury Session)"   5:20
45. "Spanish Sahara (Music Video)"   6:49
46. "Miami (Music Video)"   4:13
47. "This Orient (Music Video)"   3:51
48. "Blue Blood (Music Video)"   4:50
49. "Total Life Forever (Making Of)"   19:00

Chart performance

Chart (2010) Peak
position
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[44] 83
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[45] 72
French Albums Chart[46] 38
German Albums Chart[47] 48
Greek Albums Chart[48] 21
Irish Albums Chart[49] 25
Swiss Albums Chart[50] 62
UK Albums Chart[51] 8
US Heatseekers Albums[52] 35

References

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  2. ^ "Foals Return". The Fly. 2009-09-30. http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/features/6001/foals-return. Retrieved 2010-03-12. 
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  45. ^ "Belgian (Wallonia) album positions" (in French). Ultratop 50. http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Foals&titel=Total+Life+Forever&cat=a. Retrieved 2010-06-16. 
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External links

Foals
Yannis Philippakis • Jack Bevan • Jimmy Smith • Edwin Congreave • Walter Gervers
Studio albums
Antidotes • Total Life Forever
Singles
"Try This On Your Piano/Look At My Furrows of Worry" • "Hummer" • "Mathletics" • "Balloons" • "Cassius" • "Red Socks Pugie" • "Olympic Airways" • "Spanish Sahara" • "This Orient" • "Miami" • "Blue Blood"
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