Foxx Bandits EP Review
Londoners Foxx Bandits are preparing to release their debut EP, Gold Dresses, on December 6th, and the world should start getting excited. Only having formed about a year ago in North West London, the band has already accomplished many things in such a short period of time. They have already had a BBC Introducing feature on BBC Radio London, headlined a show at Camden Barfly and were the last band ever to play at the much loved Pure Groove Records. The band combines a lo-fi, shoegaze sound with their original folk influence. I had the great pleasure of reviewing their debut EP.
The first song on the EP, “Beach Fatigue,” starts off with pounding drums, followed by the bass line and, within a couple of seconds, the vocals and guitar come in. The first fifteen seconds of the first song I had ever listened to by Foxx Bandits was enough to recognize their serious talent. A minute in and I couldn’t seem to stop my toes from tapping and my head from shaking as the huge sounding guitar solo had me drawn in. You could swear that “Beach Fatigue” came straight from California, but Foxx Bandits give the song a natural, authentic sound, all the while allowing you to enjoy it as an exceptional surf rock jam. In a complete contrast to the huge sounding opener, the band quickly introduces the listener to their diversity with the dreamy song, “Kafka”. The combination of xylophone and guitar provide the tune with a magical feel and the listener with visions of forest scenery. The vocals, playing a vital focus of this track, gives the listener a very raw, haunting sensation to hold on to. The band’s folk origins are highly evident within “Kafka,” while tracks like “Youth” highlight shoegaze as a large influence, while also making use of energetic guitars. The combination of the lo-fi chorus and dual screams towards the end of “Youth” is refreshing to the ear. The lyrical message of “Youth” appealed to me with standout lines like, “When we were younger, we could still lie with big convincing eyes.” EP closer and title track, “Gold Dresses,” is certainly the most folk influenced song of the collection. While it might contain less “rock” than “Beach Fatigue,” the band sounds right at home within the sound that started off their success. The xylophone is used again here to add a seamless energy to the track. There is a ten second long, beautiful vocal harmony near the end of the song, followed by less than a second of soft guitar before an absolute explosion of sound. During the last few moments of the song, the listener is able to come to full appreciation for the talent within the track and within the EP itself.
After listening to these four tracks many times now, I’ve come to the conclusion that Foxx Bandits possess a talent which many bands, four or five albums in, don’t even come close to having. Gold Dresses seamlessly ties together different genres and wraps them up together in a perfect four song package. I began listening to this band with completely open ears, and they have impressed the hell out of me. I sat with a dumb smile on my face listening to how good this is, and picturing in my head, this very band selling out gigs everywhere. Also, for anyone in London currently, the band is having a free entry EP launch at The Social in Central London on the release date, December 6th. Do yourself a favor and go get Foxx Bandit’s debut EP, Gold Dresses, out December 6th, 2010 available at most digital outlets.
The first song on the EP, “Beach Fatigue,” starts off with pounding drums, followed by the bass line and, within a couple of seconds, the vocals and guitar come in. The first fifteen seconds of the first song I had ever listened to by Foxx Bandits was enough to recognize their serious talent. A minute in and I couldn’t seem to stop my toes from tapping and my head from shaking as the huge sounding guitar solo had me drawn in. You could swear that “Beach Fatigue” came straight from California, but Foxx Bandits give the song a natural, authentic sound, all the while allowing you to enjoy it as an exceptional surf rock jam. In a complete contrast to the huge sounding opener, the band quickly introduces the listener to their diversity with the dreamy song, “Kafka”. The combination of xylophone and guitar provide the tune with a magical feel and the listener with visions of forest scenery. The vocals, playing a vital focus of this track, gives the listener a very raw, haunting sensation to hold on to. The band’s folk origins are highly evident within “Kafka,” while tracks like “Youth” highlight shoegaze as a large influence, while also making use of energetic guitars. The combination of the lo-fi chorus and dual screams towards the end of “Youth” is refreshing to the ear. The lyrical message of “Youth” appealed to me with standout lines like, “When we were younger, we could still lie with big convincing eyes.” EP closer and title track, “Gold Dresses,” is certainly the most folk influenced song of the collection. While it might contain less “rock” than “Beach Fatigue,” the band sounds right at home within the sound that started off their success. The xylophone is used again here to add a seamless energy to the track. There is a ten second long, beautiful vocal harmony near the end of the song, followed by less than a second of soft guitar before an absolute explosion of sound. During the last few moments of the song, the listener is able to come to full appreciation for the talent within the track and within the EP itself.
After listening to these four tracks many times now, I’ve come to the conclusion that Foxx Bandits possess a talent which many bands, four or five albums in, don’t even come close to having. Gold Dresses seamlessly ties together different genres and wraps them up together in a perfect four song package. I began listening to this band with completely open ears, and they have impressed the hell out of me. I sat with a dumb smile on my face listening to how good this is, and picturing in my head, this very band selling out gigs everywhere. Also, for anyone in London currently, the band is having a free entry EP launch at The Social in Central London on the release date, December 6th. Do yourself a favor and go get Foxx Bandit’s debut EP, Gold Dresses, out December 6th, 2010 available at most digital outlets.
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