Review Summary: The Albatross blends complex instrumentals, beautiful lyricism, and a distinct sound to create one of the best indie/emo albums of the past few years.
The title of Foxing's album, The Albatross, is an allusion to a poem by Samuel Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. In the poem, a ship is led out of stormy waters and into calm seas by an albatross. After leaving the cold waters, the Mariner makes the decision to shoot the albatross down, a decision that the crew eventually supports as the ship continues into warmer and warmer waters. Eventually, the ship becomes stranded without a cross wind, and the crew turns again on the Mariner, forcing him to wear the body of the bird around his neck as a penance. However, as vengeful spirits appear and punish all the members on board with death, the Mariner suffers a different fate: he is forced to walk the Earth, not dead, but not quite alive, and tell his story to all he meets.
The final verse on the first song, "Bloodhound", makes it apparent that the narrator has suffered the same fate.
"When the tide rolled in there was nothing left
But an albatross hanging from my neck.
And just as you could not contain the sea,
You could not contain me."
Foxing comes out the gate with an emotional tour de force, an insight into singer Conor Murphy's mind as he guides us through his own experiences. From the opening track, where Murphy sings over a beautiful orchestra instrumental, something special clicks. Similar to the feeling the second track on The Antlers' acclaimed Hospice evokes, where Peter Silberman set up context for the heart-churning story he was about to tell, Murphy does the same. What follows is 9 tracks of awesome instrumentals, coupled with beautiful writing and honest singing.
The core of this album lies in Conor Murphy's poetic vocals and the complex, always changing instrumentals. Immediately, one could compare the sound from Foxing similar to contemporaries such as The World Is A Beautiful Place..., Empire! Empire!, and La Dispute. Though, The Albatross manages to establish a distinct style through the occasionally math-rock drum work, selective use of horns and drum machines, and the highs and lows of Murphy's vocal ability. Easily transitioning between soft spoken hymns to shredding wails, as seen in the emotional centerpiece "Rory", where Conor almost begs "So why don't you love me back?". The same song is also an incredible instrumental piece, slowly building up to the singer's release. "Den Mother" is another stand out track, where the post-rock influenced guitars lead up to Murphy's celebratory, yet slightly cynical yells "If nothing becomes, at least soft light lay on us!". Conor's ability to turn up the volume is showcased perfectly on "Bit By A Dead Bee Pt.1", which contains some of the roughest vocals on the album, sounding comparable to The World Is A Beautiful Place's song "I Will Be Okay. Everything.".
The Albatross incorporates the poem its title references beautifully, using the story of the Mariner as a backseat to mirror Murphy's own story. To keep this review from sounding like a half-hearted English report, I wont go into it. I do suggest reading the poem before listening to this album, though, as it enhances the listening experience as Conor subtly connects his story to the Mariner's. Awesomely poetic lyricism help push these themes over the top, truly setting Foxing apart from the more recent emo/indie trends of angsty lyrics and catchy, pop guitar work. Don't take that as me saying this album isn't catchy, however, some of the hooks and chants on here will stick in your head for a long time to come. As the album closes, Murphy brings the story full circle, with a response to the final line on the first song.
"You could not contain me."
"Because I can not contain you."
This band has released something truly special and memorable here. The post-rock guitars coupled with complex drum lines and additional orchestral instruments perfectly balance Conor Murphy's incredible vocal ability. Absolutely nothing on this album stands out above anything else; no song nor sound on this album feels out of place. I urge any fan of the genre, or even any fan of beautiful and heartfelt music, to check this album out. The Albatross is an incredible experience, and I look forward to what this group has to offer in the future.
Foxing is ready to fly.
