Foxygen

Foxygen

Foxygen's Jonathan Rado (left) and Sam France (right) performing at Flow Festival in Helsinki, Finland, August 2015
Background information
Origin Agoura Hills, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active 2005–present
Labels Jagjaguwar
Associated acts
Website foxygentheband.com
Members
  • Sam France
  • Jonathan Rado

Foxygen is an American indie rock duo from Westlake Village, California, formed in 2005.[1] The band consists of Jonathan Rado and Sam France.[2] They have released four albums and a number of self-released EPs.

History

Sam France of Foxygen performing at Flow Festival in Helsinki, Finland, August 2015

Rado and France started their band in high school when both were fifteen. After their formation in 2005, the band played experimental music; influenced by psychedelia and avant-garde. They self-released four EPs between 2007 and 2011. In early 2011, they were 'discovered' by producer Richard Swift after handing him one of their EPs at a Mynabird's show in New York.[3] The group were later signed on to Jagjaguwar Records and their first studio album, Take the Kids Off Broadway, was released by Jagjaguwar on July 24, 2012.[4]

On January 22, 2013, Jagjaguwar released Foxygen's second album, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic. This album was produced by Richard Swift and recorded at his National Freedom studio. The record was preceded by the single "Shuggie," released on October 4, 2012.[5] In March 2013, Foxygen was named one of Fuse TV's 30 must-see artists at SXSW.[6]

The band has gained a reputation for its unhinged live shows and maniacal behavior of lead singer France. In 2014, for their tours promoting the sprawling double album …And Star Power, the group expanded to a nine-piece including three back-up singer/dancers.

The band released their fourth LP, the theatrical Hang, on January 20, 2017, via Jagjaguwar.[7] The album features collaborations with The Lemon Twigs, the Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd and a 40+ piece orchestra arranged by Trey Pollard and Matthew E White.[8] The Irish Times described the album as “Theatrical is an apt description of this collection as a whole," while noting that the album "edges perilously close to pastiche".[9]

Critical reception

The Entertainment Weekly staff wrote, "We just can't stop playing the scruffy psych-rock duo's Rolling Stones-obsessed album with the appropriately exuberant title We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic."[10] In January 2013, Pitchfork Media cited Foxygen under "Best New Music" in their review of the new album.[11] Their 2014 album, the Todd Rundgren-influenced ...And Star Power received decidedly mixed reviews. While Paste praised it as "...indulgent, unhinged, sprawling, funny and sometimes spookily great," and Slant Magazine called it a "dense and rewarding listen," other critics like Hal Horowitz at American Songwriter called it "...an occasionally interesting failed experiment."[12]

Discography

Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles

References

  1. ↑ Thomas, Fred. "Foxygen | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
  2. ↑ Hyden, Steven (July 23, 2012). "Review: Take The Kids Off Broadway". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  3. ↑ Norris, John (January 15, 2013). "A Breath of Foxygen". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
  4. ↑ Thomas, Fred. "Review: Take The Kids Off Broadway". allmusic. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  5. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Larry (October 4, 2012). Pitchfork Media. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  6. ↑ "30 Must-See Acts at SXSW 2013 - Photos - South by Southwest - Festivals". Fuse. 2013-02-28. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  7. ↑ JASH (2017-01-18), Tim Heidecker Experience: Music - w/ Foxygen, retrieved 2017-01-19
  8. ↑ Minsker, Evan (November 2, 2016). "Foxygen Announce New Album Hang, Dance in Their “Follow the Leader” Video: Watch | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2017-01-20.
  9. ↑ Murphy, Lauren (January 20, 2017). "Foxygen - Hang album review: Fleet of foot, with looniness kept to a minimum". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2017-01-20.
  10. ↑ "The Must List: The Top 10 Things We Love This Week". Entertainment Weekly. New York: Time Inc.: 12 February 22, 2013.
  11. ↑ Greene, Jayson (2013-01-22). "Foxygen: We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  12. ↑ ...And Star Power by Foxygen, retrieved 2017-01-19
  13. ↑ Laurence, Alexander. "Foxygen Interview 2011". Retrieved 2014-02-01.
  14. ↑ "Foxygen Share Video for New Song “On Lankershim”: Watch | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
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