Editor’s Note: “Scoped” album reviews are reserved for the records we believe to be among the very best of the year.

Foxing are a fascinating band in the sense that when I speak to anyone about the band, I rarely hear the same record getting mentioned as the fan favorite. My personal journey with Foxing began at The Albatross, and my fandom continued to grow through Dealer and especially Nearer My God. Nearer My God I consider to be one of my favorite records of all time, and while I thought Draw Down The Moon continued to push barriers for the band, I wondered if a Foxing record could ever make me feel the way Nearer My God did. I think it’s fascinating that I’ve heard all four of their records mentioned as favorites when I speak with people. I believe this record will be no different, and I often found writing words to describe the sounds I was hearing nearly impossible.

The record begins with a sample and voice manipulation that feels like it could fit in right at home on a Sufjan Stevens album, like The Age Of Adz. About 1:40 into the song it explodes into a jump scare of epic proportions. The first time you hear it, it will not only stun you, but make you hope it happens again, which it will. Part of me wonders if Conor Murphy singing “write them quietly” prior to both times the song explodes was intentional for people to find when combing over the lyrics. “Secret History” is jarring and sets the tone for the record. The production from Eric Hudson is stunning from the start, and is a common theme throughout this record.

“FUCK FUCK FUCK” will be an iconic singalong at Foxing shows for years to come. The chaotic screams to begin “Hell 99” end with the word repeated. This moment, and this song as a whole prove that the chaos in “Secret History” will not be only matched, but exceeded. The back and forth between Eric and Conor in this song is absolutely brilliant and their distinct screams help you easily distinguish who is doing which parts.

“Spit” feels like a song that could’ve fit right at home on Nearer My God, and is the first chance you will have to catch your breath on this album. The bass tones from bassist Brett Torrence on the verses, and the fuzzy, spiraling guitars really shine throughout this song.

The lead single from the record “Greyhound” reminds me a lot of the overall vibe of their lead single from Draw Down The Moon, “Speak With The Dead” That song felt like an instant classic when it was released, and “Greyhound” does as well. There are heavy 80s vibes, almost reminiscent of The Cure in the verses, and the song is unpredictable throughout. The middle section is easy to get completely lost in, and demands a great pair of headphones to fully appreciate all of the layers it brings before the grand finale of the song, where singer Conor Murphy repeats “We will get fooled again”

“Cleaning” appears to be a song about a pet that someone has lost, and not wanting to clean, because it would erase them from the home. There is a soaring vocal performance that makes the song feel like a proper lead into “Barking” which is the most catchy song at this point of the record, and feels like a song that is inevitable to become a single. I think it will work especially well live, and get great crowd participation. I’m interested to see if it will stand alone live, or if “Cleaning” will be played before it. I assume the song being called “Barking” refers to the dog who had been lost in the song prior.

The transition into “Kentucky McDonald’s” works perfectly and is as strange and mysterious as the song title implies. The song starts slow, and has the beginnings of a ballad before bursting into a big second half where drummer Jon Hellwig plays the drums so hard, that I’d love to see studio footage from this one.

“Looks Like Nothing” is another memorable catchy vocal performance from Conor Murphy, and leads to another big payoff from the band in another song you’d least expect it from. Eric Hudson plays a chaotic lead that will send chills down your spine before another production masterclass at the end of the song. Once again, a great pair of headphones is a necessity through this record, and for moments like this it elevates the experience so much.

“Gratitude” starts off with an intro that sounds like it could be from a classic video game from when I was a child, before quickly transitioning to a bouncy verse, with a punchy bassline from Brett Torrence. The music in the chorus feels happy, while Conor sings aggressively and vulnerably. The song also features a lot of memorable drum fills from Jon Hellwig, and potentially my favorite moment on the entire record at the midway point. The payoff after what is essentially a drum solo after the first chorus is indescribable and really showcases every band member incredibly well.

“Dead Cat” is a short interlude and another lost pet reference that gives you a chance to process what we just heard in “Gratitude” before leading into “Dead Internet” This song begins with an awesome fuzzy guitar lead over some electronic elements before the full band comes in about a minute into the song.

“Hall Of Frozen Heads” is as interesting of a song as the song title is. It is the penultimate track but genuinely feels like it could work as the big closing moment to this record. There is a slow build throughout the album, and it feels like a culmination of everything we have heard on the album to this point. Some of my favorite lyrics on the album are mesmerizing like when he references wanting to be “the last gasp of God before the rapture” The lyrics end with Conor repeating “what does it matter?”

“Cry Baby” ends the album as the album has been from start to finish, unpredictable. It is the closest the band will likely ever come to a piano ballad. It also feels like the closest that the band may ever come to a direct love song lyrically. The samples at the end of the song almost give me an unsettling feeling that it was a love song to the band, Foxing, and maybe this is their swan song.

There seems to be a lyrical theme of getting older on this record. Conor sings “I’ve been feeling like I can’t come up for air for these last ten years” on “Greyhound” and says “I can feel the age in my voice” on “Barking” It feels like maybe the mortality of the band is sinking in. However, as a listener it feels like a band who is still young and continuing to unlock the best parts of themselves. There’s a sense of exhaustion on the record which could also tie into similar themes of getting older. “Is this all there is?” and the repeating screams of “constant fatigue” on “Hell 99” The lyrics are extremely well thought out and a lot of times very relatable. They, by design are buried in some songs, so I highly recommend sitting down with the lyrics at least a few times to truly appreciate how the lyrics are just as dense and challenging as the music.

Foxing, whether intentionally or not, have never made the same album, or even remotely the same album twice. They seem to have an album for any mood you may be in, and something for anyone even if someone doesn’t celebrate their entire discography. This album continues this tradition, and sets the bar even higher for a band who is always pushing their boundaries and sound. The songs are consistently unconventional throughout this album, with a lot of melodies not repeated and twists and turns throughout the album. It challenges the listener from start to finish, and demands repeated listens. Each listen you will find something new to appreciate and be surprised by. It is one of the most focused albums I’ve ever heard, and I hope this marks the beginning of the next era of this band, and that they’re nowhere near the end.

9.6/10
Foxing- Foxing
Release Date: 9/13/24
Tracklisting:
1. Secret History
2. Hell 99
3. Spit
4. Greyhound
5. Cleaning
6. Barking
7. Kentucky McDonald’s
8. Looks Like Nothing
9. Gratitude
10. Dead Cat
11. Dead Internet
12. Hall Of Frozen Heads
13. Cry Baby

Written by Adam Backus