South By Southwest is happening right now, and do you know what that means? All of your favorite up-and-coming bands will soon be releasing epic live and studio session recordings this week for you in Austin, Texas as they perform during the biggest live music conference in the United States. SXSW, as it is shortened to, lasts for 10 days and includes showcases of film, a festival of music, and interactive keynotes with industry execs with all of the latest in media technology. Starting in 1987 and growing in size each year, SXSW brings in tens of thousands to the hipster city of Austin - and is one of the reasons, along with the infamous Austin City Limits Music Festival, that it is now titled the Live Music Capital of the World.
If you are a fellow Rochesterian like I am, you'll be pleased to know that we are being represented at this festival by a local musician who studied and worked right in our city. One of my good friends, Rob Bodley, who has played in and professionally recorded with many successful music groups, is currently on his way to Austin for this year's SXSW Music Festival to play drums for the Phoenix, AZ-born, Nashville-based band The Foxies. Rob, who holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance from his studies in Percussion at the local Monroe Community College and Roberts Wesleyan College, has recently moved to Nashville, Tennessee in pursuit of playing professional drums in nationally recognized studios and touring music groups. In celebration of The Foxies playing an official SXSW event highlighting Nashville artists at Tellers in Austin today, I have decided to write a small review on this really great breakthrough artist group. I hope that after you listen, you feel the same as I do about their catchy melodies and driving beats.
THAT'S ROB BODLEY ON THE DRUMS! | PHOTO BY CHONSUEGO
With a coffee in hand, I sat down to listen with one of my favorite tools in getting the flavor and taste of any artist - Spotify, of course. Spotify usually lists the most listened to and reviewed tracks right at the top, along with any tracks the artist wants to feature, which makes searching for the "best" songs much simpler. I started with the first and featured single, "Floods". I immediately thought of Ellie Goulding with the opening synth sounds of a keyboard and powerful-but-subtly-raspy female vocal of Julia Lauren. But after I gave a solid ear to the vocals on this track, Julia gives me some strong vibes of the sad tinged vocals of The Cure. The drum beat is very catchy, almost reminiscent of another of my favorite groups, sadly on hiatus, Bombay Bicycle Club. Overall, this song is a great hit and already sets the mood for the rest of the tracks.
The next song that played, "Box Wine", opens like a Lorde song circa Pure Heroine 2013, or a Lana Del Ray "Video Games" feel, showing the listener that she a versatile voice. The beat is neither slow nor fast and speeds up into an almost Passion Pit-like drone of sound. The drums and voice stick out to me as the most organic sounds, and that alone brings the music to a level above your average drum-machine indie pop band. I especially like the ease in-and-out of an almost tunnel-type equalization and reverb on the percussion in the refrain of the chorus at the end, leaving the ears satisfied as it comes to a close. I am curious if the effect will be used in their live performance of this track.
The next song also surprised me with the vocals. Julia incorporates an almost Southern twinge in her voice in the album's title track, "Oblivion". I'm also usually turned off by a male harmonization over a female voice, as it usually isn't done well, or that one voice ultimately is too powerful, but the vocals flow well together, and, dare I say, even better than popular band Of Monsters And Men might have done. The harmonization doesn't last for the whole song, it is sprinkled just enough to give it flavor but backed-off enough to give her the main drive of melody. I was actually a bit disappointed that the drum beat in this song sounded so similar to "Box Wine", but that ever-steady beat is what I would consider really great driving music.
I was going to stop after four songs, but a song auto-played next that struck me as quite similar to Two Door? Passion Pit? One of my top favorite bands for sure. I had to stop the song midway through to look up what exactly it reminded me of. Of course, it was Phoenix's "If I Ever Feel Better" off of their 2000 United Album. Like Phoenix, The Foxies started this song off with a strong disco beat juxtaposing a sea of indie pop I had just previously sailed through. I cannot say how much I love when a song can incorporate disco, A.K.A. America's music blemish of the 1970's, into a random album track and make it just flow so well. The drum beat was different than your average four-on-the-floor typical of disco, giving it that edge it needed from the previous songs I've listened to. Lo and behold, the name of the track is called "Disco". I love the bouncy delay on this song, especially the backing vocals and guitar, making it sound like a creepy disco ghost coming back to life. Julia's vocals definitely remind me of her style of dress, which is a pleasant mix of a 90's No Doubt Gwen Stefani and an 80's Blondie. It definitely makes me wonder at the ominous lyrics repeating, "Murder at the disco." I bet I could kill someone at the club with looks like hers, too.
If you're at South By Southwest in Austin, TX this year, be sure to check out The Foxies, and my man Rob Bodley, at Tellers today at 6:30pm during The Nashville House showcase that lasts from noon until midnight.
If you aren't at SXSW, but like me, wish you were, you can find or listen to The Foxies' tracks on Spotify, their Youtube Channel or right on their website. You can also follow The Foxies on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Be sure to follow Rob Bodley on his Instagram, I'm sure he'll keep you up to date on all of his Nashville adventures. As always, thank you for reading this artist review, keep an eye out for more articles like this by following my Twitter or my Instagram for post updates!
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