Album Review: Foxes – Glorious
3 min read
Foxes doesn’t do things by halves does she? Starting out singing at open mic nights, moving on to featuring on the huge Zedd hit Clarity, performing recently to rapturous applause at SXSW, and now releasing her very own debut album, entitled Glorious – not bad for a 25 year old eh? It’s this work ethic and genuine belief in her own abilities that’s got her to where she is today – she doesn’t need the support of fellow singers around her, she has the voice and confidence to make it alone and that’s got to demand a lot of respect in the cutthroat music industry of today.
And it’s with this confidence and swagger that Glorious really shines. Album opener Talking to Ghosts has the feel of a track that’s begging to be played loud and proud, starting off melancholy but leading into a huge chorus with layers of beats and excellent vocals. Youth – which fans of Foxes would have heard before – will be pleased to know it hasn’t lost any of its impact and sits comfortably on the record. “They didn’t want me when I was running wild” sings Foxes, well they want you now, and you better get used to it with hits like this.
Some tracks on the album really take it back with a 90s dance vibe; Hold onto Heaven is an example of this with its melancholy build up and uplifting chorus, whereas Night Owls Early Birds also fits snugly in this category, featuring a hint of Arcade Fire darkness about it which really works well. The albums hidden gem would have to be Shaking Heads – the light, airy vibe backed up by a variety of sounds that really gel together create something special with a hint of 80s nostalgia.
What works well for the album is how you can listen to it. It would sit comfortably being something you and your mates listen to before you go for a night out on the town, and would also work well as a record for the individual to enjoy the singers’ fine vocal work and heightened emotions. It’s rare for an album to work so brilliantly in both situations, but that’s just what has been created in Glorious.
There are lots of good ideas here and nothing more so than recent single Let Go for Tonight. Really playing on the Bastille sound, it has a chorus that will have you reaching for the sky and making you want to live life to the full. You can already see this being played loud and unashamedly at every festival Foxes can make it to. On the other hand, the record may rely too heavily on creating an overall album sound. It’s good what Foxes has done here, but it could have been interesting for her to test her voice and musicianship in other areas she might not have felt so comfortable in – if you want an example of this look no further than her cameo on Fall Out Boy tune Just One Yesterday.
Glorious is a great debut for an upcoming singer. It’s going to be interesting to see what direction she takes on her next album – hopefully she’ll be one of these artists that flits from style to style without batting an eyelid, this will keep her fans interested, bring her new ones and it’s where her real strength lies.
