Foals

Though their sound started out as a quirky blend of post rock, math rock, and indie pop, British band Foals found mainstream success in their homeland right from the beginning. The band was formed in Oxford out of two other groups. Greek-born singer/guitarist Yannis Philippakis and drummer Jack Bevan came from a band called The Edmund Fitzgerald, while guitarist Jimmy Smith and bassist Walter Gervers were in Face Meets Grill. With the addition of keyboardist Edwin Congreave and original singer Andrew Mears of the band Youthmovies (present only on the first single), Foals came together in 2005. Foals' debut single, "Try This On Your Piano," was released in 2006. A live album, Live at Liars Club, came out on London-based indie label Transgressive Records the following year. In 2008, Foals finally made their proper debut album, Antidotes, which was released on Sub Pop in the U.S. Recorded in New York City with Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio producing, the record found instant acceptance in the U.K., going to No. 3 on the British album charts. Two years later, the band released the follow-up album, Total Life Forever, which found similar success at home and earned a Mercury Prize nomination, but saw them still struggling to break through in America. Foals shifted to Warner Bros for their third LP, Holy Fire, which opted for a less danceable, more rock-oriented approach, and marked the band's first foothold on the U.S. album charts. Another Mercury Prize nomination for Best Album came their way for the LP. 2015's What Went Down followed further down that stylistic path, which did not hurt Foals' fortunes a bit, as the band earned its highest placement on the U.S. charts yet and remained a major force on the home front.