SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FOXWARREN – 2

FOXWARREN
2
ARTS & CRAFTS

One of the leading singer-songwriters in Canada right now is Andy Shauf. Most Canadians probably know Shauf from his solo career, with albums like The Neon Skyline and The Party. Shauf is also part of the band Foxwarren. Foxwarren consists of Shauf, Dallas Bryson, Avery Kissick, Darryl Kissick, and Colin Nealis. Their newest album, 2, is an ambitious, fun, off-kilter record with excellent musicianship, intricate production, and powerful vocals. Foxwarren takes these songs and pushes them in unexpected directions.

“Listen2me” is an absolute gem. If Foxwarren, The Beatles, and T. Rex joined forces to make a track, it would probably sound somewhat like this. “Yvonne” is a beautiful acoustic folk tune with an enchanting melody and captivating storytelling. Shauf’s stunningly sublime vocals will be stuck in your head for weeks. “Deadhead” is another standout song with tons of cool layers, including weird vocal effects in the intro, catchy dance rhythms, a funky disco rock guitar riff reminiscent of Hot Chocolate, a whimsical Sufjan Stevens-esque production quality in the choruses, and a heavy fuzzed out outro. In the groovy retro-inspired “Wings”, Foxwarren shows off their jamming skills. Every instrument on this track is mixed perfectly and drips with style, especially the keys and bass. The brightly sunny instrumentation, the jauntily upbeat melody, Shauf’s warm vocals, and the fun energy of “Say It” will undoubtedly have you tapping your toe and bouncing your head. Lastly, “Strange” is a wonderfully charming track with an unforgettable bass line and gorgeous vocals from Shauf.

2 weaves sound samples of conversations between two lovers in the songs. It also has many short interludes. These conversations usually play at the beginning of songs like in “Sleeping” and establish the scene and mood for the song. Additionally, the conversations have a bit of an old-fashioned cinematic quality, which is quite enjoyable. Alternatively, the short interludes like “Havana” are compelling and see Foxwarren experimenting with different sounds and production.

Overall, Foxwarren’s 2 is a phenomenal record that any music lover is bound to enjoy. If you want some good Canadian music to listen to then you should definitely give 2 a listen.

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