Foals' Jimmy Smith talks overcoming nerves to develop his "naïve" style – and why ditching pedals helped him embrace a positive guitar attitude

When Foals first began, the Oxford, England-born band likely had no idea how their music would evolve over the next two decades. Today, they're known for their intricate sounds over bright, danceable music, making them a beloved name since their inception in 2005.

But over the years, the band have been forced to evolve, losing one of their original singers and shaping and reshaping themselves, maneuvering between math rock, traditional rock and even funk and disco.

Now, the band are releasing their latest LP, Life Is Yours, and with it comes a fresh sound, but one that continues to encompass many earlier elements. But on this new album, the band – particularly guitarist Jimmy Smith – sought to find cleaner, less “distracted” tones and aesthetics. Gone were mountains of pedals and in their place are a clearer sense of melody and instrumentation.

We caught up with Smith to ask him about his journey with his six-string, how he approached the group’s new album and how his own playing has evolved over the years.