Music doesn’t last forever*. Like a lost sock, most music created disappears somewhere in your bedroom never to be found or even thought of until you’re one day hit by the sobering realisation that maybe you need it. Maybe it was warm and comforting, maybe it was practical and a necessity. Either way, it takes a lot of guts for musicians to come to the realisation that trends and tastes change as sporadically as Sydney’s weather – one day you have a number one debut single, the next day your sophomore album isn’t selling.
If you have read anything about Foxing it’s probably that their existence is based on the American band’s collective understanding that they’re ‘not gonna be around forever.’
Success is fleeting, and with that in mind Foxing refuse to pull any punches with their mature, intense and intimate songwriting and performances.
Unlike other arrogant stars (here’s looking at you Kanye/Yeezus) Foxing knows that the graces bands receive are often fleeting, even going as far as naming themselves after a process of ageing and decay. This is all true, but what contrasts against the boys’ humble nature is the success debut album The Albatross has received.
Comparable to the likes of American Football and The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, the five-piece composes in a way that throws harsh but sincere vocals in against soft melodic tunes. The Albatross is ten tracks which lean more towards stories than songs – each one baring the heavy weight of unrequited love or another personal issue. But this LP is not just another emo release; the stripped back composition of the songs combined with honest lyrics make for an intimate insight into the band’s experiences.
Bloodhound is the first track of the album, and definitely one of the standouts. Whether it be the orchestra, choir vocals or the incredible range of vocalist Conor Murphy, Bloodhound is comprised of small and somewhat unexpected elements. It’s an interesting take on the post rock genre to use a choir singing rounds, and Foxing executes it to sound oh so dreamy. Bloodhound transitions into the second track Inuit seamlessly, which uses a wall of sound and various brass instruments. Although it’s more textured than the previous song, Inuit maintains the same raw emotion Foxing has running through the whole album.
Also featured is debut single Rory, most noted for the sound of Murphy’s pained “…My hands shake and shudder at the mention, of half written reasons why we’ll only be friends, I swear I’m a good man, so why don’t you love me back?” This is appropriately accompanied by echoing reverb and a strong beat that keeps the pace going.
Having signed with Triple Crown Records this year and played with Brand New, Seahaven and Modern Baseball, Foxing are far from the forgotten lost sock they think they’ll become. Murphy said that the band only hopes to “Make something that meant something at some point and will mean something down the road” and my God are they doing just that. The Albatross was re-released by Triple Crown Records earlier this year, and can be found on the band’s Bandcamp and merch store.
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