Music Review: Foxygen – “We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic”

  This is a collection of retro sounds from the 60’s and 70’s but with an overall modern feel. The influences are obvious from the outset of the first...
by January 24, 2013

 foxygen

This is a collection of retro sounds from the 60’s and 70’s but with an overall modern feel. The influences are obvious from the outset of the first song “No Destruction” pleasantly leading us on a journey through artists such as Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and The Kinks. It’s a perfect opening track, and what is noticed throughout the album is how the spontaneous change of pace and feel of the musical progressions. So, it’s a bit unpredictable. The song “On Blue Mountain” gives me chills; it’s a journey through Rolling Stones and Velvet Underground interspersed with modern type drum claps and then with classic blues type riffs and reverb apparent on many of today’s recordings including Tame Impala and Twin Shadow just to name a couple. Then there are little minor keyboard fills with background guitar riffs reminiscent of early Roxy Music from “For Your Pleasure”. I like that. Then it crashes suddenly into the chorus—(there is a hint of the ‘60’s Zombies. I did not see that coming…that’s a lot of fun. The track “San Francisco” is a happy catchy tune with a Belle and Sebastian –like feel and singable lyrics; “I left my love in San Francisco, That’s ok, I was bored anyway”, “I left my love in a field, that’s ok I was born in L.A.” The entire album contains songs which are retro ‘60’s and ‘70’ from hints of the Rolling Stones or The Kinks, and, at an instant, they change, and the tunes sound more like David Bowie, Roxy Music or Bob Dylan. It’s refreshing as it is modern and updated as it does retain its nouveau-psychedelic groove with a basis of easy familiar sounds of the past. This is intelligent, think outside the box kind of music and it is the most musically satisfying record from start to end than any I’ve heard in a while. 9 out of 10 stars. Buy it here.

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Artist: Foxygen

Album: We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic

TRACKS:  1. In The Darkness 2. No Destruction 3. On Blue Mountain 4. San Francisco 5. Bowling Trophies 6. Shuggie 7. Oh Yeah 8. We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic 9. Oh No 2

[rating:9] 9/10

Categories
Music Reviews

by Jon - Jan 24, 2013

by Jon - Jan 24, 2013

Jon Crary is an avid music fan. Jon's roots are the late 70’s punk and the new wave scene, but his influences are early 70’s glam- Roxy Music and David Bowie. His tastes evolved in the 80’s to include his influences’ copiers – Japan, Duran Duran and New Order. He hosted a radio program where Echo and the Bunnymen and the Smiths were staples. Now, their legacy is well documented. Many people think he has great taste in music, and he actually has a good record collection. He is also a semi-musician having played the bass guitar in a French garage rock band. Now, you will see him enjoying the new music of this and the last decade…thanks to Interpol “Turn on the Bright Lights” album for which he will forever be grateful for revitalizing music for the new generation and old.

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