Faux Fox
"All That Remains" CD
Exo Records
Genre: post-punk, new wave,
electro
Texas, USA
Jan 15, 2009 |
Despite calling Texas their home, Faux Fox have outsourced their
latest record to Australian label Exo Records. Meshing post-punk,
electro, and new wave, they create slick, melodic songs steeped in a
sheen of cool. Indeed, these folks are so trendy they're
likely to make you
want to vomit - their Myspace is entirely in uppercase, this record's
cover depicts a ghost with lasers coming out of its eyes, and they're
obsessed with eighties synths. All they need is the word "wolf" in
their name and an all-neon wardrobe and they'd be set to take over the
world - or at least the smarmy, ironic part of it.
Fortunately, behind all their hipness and verve, Faux Fox have put
together some decent songs for this nine track fiesta. Culling
influence from Yello, Gary Numan, and Joy Division, they carve
infectious post-punk tunes out of new wave vocals, shady synths, and
dancefloor beats. "Class Ring," for example, is equal parts The Eurythmics and
The Sound. "Secret Stallion," meanwhile, makes special
use of corny synthesizers, and haunting "Brass Ring" is a gripping
electro pop anthem with a distinct Human League influence.
When all is said and done, these guys remain startlingly true to their influences despite all
their irony. The result is a record that sounds straight out of the
eighties. The tracks are notably tight and there are some mean
melodies, although some more overt hooks would have made the
record a tad more memorable. As it stands, Faux Fox has produced an
interesting new wave record with a dark, nearly
gothic atmosphere. It's
worth a look.
faux fox's
myspace
78%
youuuuuuuutube!:
"nothing gold" video
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 8 tracks, distributed by
the
label,
released 2008] |
