Review: Foxy Shazam - Gonzo
[Self-released; 2014]
Rating: 5.5/10
By Justin Silk, Staff Writer
Key Tracks: "Gonzo," "Story Told," "Poem Pathetic"
Working with producer Steve Albini was a huge risk for Foxy Shazam. The band had obvious chemistry with The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins, who produced the band’s last album, The Church of Rock and Roll. Hawkins brought the bombastic nature of Foxy Shazam to the forefront and allowed the band’s theatricality to flow freely. This affected the music drastically, making it sound powerful and over the top at times.
Because Foxy Shazam is a band with multiple dimensions, it decided to experiment some with its fifth offering instead of trying to build on the sound developed with The Church of Rock and Roll. Albini clearly wanted to mess with the dynamics of the band and see its capabilities.
Gonzo is a product of Albini’s experimentation, and in many ways reflects his usual production, relying heavily on style over substance. He represses Foxy Shazam’s bombastic nature here, and instead tries to make the band groove and let its ideas roam. Sometimes Albini’s approach to Foxy Shazam’s music works, and sometimes it doesn’t.
On Gonzo, Foxy Shazam sounds best when it combines the bombastic approach of Hawkins with the suave, stylistic approach of Albini. The opening title track is the best example of how these styles can be merged. The title track grooves with a jazzy horn melody, until singer Eric Nally can’t take it anymore and begins chanting, “I’ve gone Gonzo!” The chant leads into a climactic wail that ends the song triumphantly.
As the album continues, Hawkins’ influence on the band progressively disappears and the record turns into Albini’s vision. His ideas work on tracks such as “Poem Pathetic,” “Brutal Truth,” “In This Life” and “Story Told.”
However, songs such as “Have The Fun,” “Shoe Box” and “Don’t Give In” struggle to stay stylish and groovy. When the band isn’t thriving, the material is difficult to listen to. The middle section of Gonzo is sincerely disappointing, and may convince listeners to stop listening to the album altogether.
Gonzo holds some merit and may prove to be a stepping stone. However, it falls drastically short of expectations and will leave fans feeling uneasy. Foxy Shazam has the potential to become the next great rock ‘n’ roll sensation, but it needs to return to the right creative headspace and combination of different styles. If not, it will never create an opus better than The Church of Rock and Roll.
