Foxy Shazam - Foxy Shazam

by Andrew Carver

published: 13 / 10 / 2010

Label: Warner Bros
Format: CD

Flamboyant and anthemic 70's-style rock on self-titled third album from Cincinatti, Ohio-based band, Foxy Shazam

Review

When you’ve got a band called Foxy Shazam, you know that subtlety is likely not on the menu, and indeed the Cincinatti, Ohio band explodes out the gate with ‘Intro/Bombs Away’ which, after an introductory barkalong, unleashes a torrent of sound on the listener that sounds like a direct descendant of 1970s rockers like Roxy Music, Sparks and Queen. When singer Eric Nally declares “I want my friends to think I’m awesome!” in ‘Wanna-Be Angel’ it’s only partly tongue-in-cheek. Two guests provide significant signposts - Steve Jones helped update the sound of glam with the Sex Pistols and kicks in a guitar solo on ‘Unstoppable’, and Justin Hawkins, whose band the Darkness was another big proponent of onstage bombast, kicks in some surprisingly Weezer-ish axework on ‘Count Me Out’. The band is also gifted with a very talented pianist in Sky White, who can pull off both Elton John-style flamboyance and a sensitive trickle of notes. The band likes their rock anthems (I expect ‘Unstoppable’ will be making its way to a stadium near you soon), but also knows when to pull things back a few notches, as on ‘Second Floor’, where Nally almost comes within a few octaves of Russell Mael in his heartfelt farewell to the regular world. The band proves it’s not completely wedded to the 1970s template with the electronic beat-humping 'Connect', which also features some backing vocals from Save Ferris’ Monique Powell. Every performance also boasts a certain over-the-top ebullience that invites the listener to assume the band also has a kick-ass live show. Fans of 1970s rock a la Mott the Hoople will be glad to hear there’s an excellent modern disciple to carry the torch, and anyone who appreciates an out-size music show should find something to enjoy on Foxy Shazam’s self-titled third album.

Track Listing:-

1 Intro/Bombs Away
2 Wanna-Be Angel
3 Count Me Out
4 Bye Bye Symphony
5 Unstoppable
6 Second Floor
7 Oh Lord
8 Connect
9 The Only Way To My Heart...
10 Killin' It
11 Evil Thoughts
12 Teenage Demon Baby
13 Some Kind Of Love
14 Oh Lord