It’s our new Foals start!

FOALS have lost a band member since their last album – but the split was so amicable that Edwin Congreave has been to see his old bandmates in concert as a fan.

The keyboard player quit the band during the early writing of new album Life Is Yours to become a mature student, currently taking a degree in economics at the University of Cambridge.

Guitarist Jimmy Smith told me: “Edwin came to see our show at Birmingham Arena in April.

“He sent us some pretty detailed notes after the show.

“The first thing he said was, ‘It actually sounds good!’

“That was great of Edwin, as you just assume when you’re starting a new tour that it doesn’t sound great.”

Foals are now a trio of Jimmy, singer Yannis Philippakis and drummer Jack Bevan, after bassist Walter Gervers left in 2018.

Jimmy explained: “Edwin showed up at the beginning of rehearsals for the new album, but that was what moved the needle on him deciding to go.

“Once he was back in our rehearsal room, I could see he wanted to go.

“It was just his time to do something else – everybody knew it.”

Yannis believes Foals as a trio has made them stronger, joking: “All the soft edges of the band are now removed and there’s now three hard corners of a table. “It’s great. Writing this record was a dream.”

The colourful and upbeat Life Is Yours is the total opposite of the two-pronged attack of previous album Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 & 2. Yannis agreed: “That was the idea in some way. “We felt we let ourselves go everywhere on the last two and we wanted to condense it into something more cohesive, light on its feet, impactful and not indulgent.

“The songs are all danceable and energetic but not all quite fun. Lyrically (new single) 2am isn’t necessarily fun but in terms of sounds, its our most extroverted record.”

And it was a joy recording it in the Wiltshire countryside at a studio belonging to legendary singer Peter Gabriel.

Jimmy enthused: “Peter’s studio is so beautiful, it definitely influenced the sound of the album.

“Instead of craning my head down to look at my guitar equipment, I’d be looking at birds flying around.

“It was so relaxing, drifting off and not thinking about what I was playing.”