Album Review: Foxy Shazam- The Church of Rock and Roll

(click the album art to download the album!)

For the better part of the last decade, Foxy Shazam have been trying to figure out what kind of band they are. From the undeniable chaos of The Flamingo Trigger to the arena-rock ready jams on the band's self titled, and the in-the-middle phase that Introducing..., its clear there were some identity issue with the band: are they an over-the-top, theatrical post-hardcore act, or are they the next band to bring back the good ol' days of rock n' roll? Don't over-think this: the answer to that question lies in the band's most recent album title, The Church of Rock and Roll. Buckle up, kids: Eric Nally and Co. are about to drop some rocking, rolling knowledge on you. Let the sermon begin. 

The album kicks off with Foxy's personal introduction to the madness, with the straight-forward "Welcome to the Church of Rock and Roll," which features a brief trumpet solo at the song's end by the band's trumpeteer Alex Nauth, and just two minutes into The Church, and the listener knows that they're in for something different.

Different is probably the best and only way to describe Foxy Shazam to someone, but once you delve into The Church it becomes evident that different can be a very, very good thing. Bringing the kind of man-power that hasn't been found in rock music in some time, "Holy Touch" shows off frontman Eric Nally's unbelievable range, while the chorus will bring you back to the days Motley Crue and Van Halen ruled the rock landscape. While the band have high aspirations, they deliver more often than not, using simple lyrics and big, big choruses to accent the band's musical prowess, a bold move considering Nally's undeniable talents as a vocalist. Still, the band- Nauth, bassist Daisy, guitarist Loren Turner, pianist Sky White, and drummer Aaron McVeigh each have plenty of time to shine, from Nauth and Turner's back and forth in "Last Chance at Love," White's driving piano in "It's Too Late, Baby,"  among countless other instances. 

Nally certainly didn't slack off on The Church,  either, as the album features some of his most personal lyrics yet, as seen on "Forever Together," a song about missing his sons on tour. The entire album seems to follow the ups and downs of love, but "Forever Together" will stick out in a big way, as it shows a sensitive side the band have rarely (if ever) showed before. 

The problem some listeners will have with The Church of Rock and Roll is that the album's second track is an early contender for the best song of 2012. The ass-shaking riff and balls-to-the-walls anthem that is "I Like It" may very well be the best song Foxy has ever written, and is the highlight of The Church. However, once you stop pressing the "last track" button, you will be pleasantly surprised with the sounds of a band who have big-time rock and roll sounds with a big-time rock and roll dream.

The bottom line:  While "I Like It" is the clear-cut highlight of the album, The Church of Rock and Roll is by far Foxy Shazam's best work, and if you let it into your ears, the songs will stay stuck in your head long after you've stopped listening. Plain and simple, Foxy Shazam have the chops to be the next big rock and roll movement, and it's time you started paying attention.

Recommended if you rock: Poison's Look What the Cat Dragged In, Van Halen, Motley Crue, The Darkness's "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"