Foxygen - Hang

Feb. 25

Foxygen - Hang

Foxygen's 21st Century Ambassadors was legitimately great, while their follow-up was decidedly not. It's a bit strange to be going in to a the third album you've heard from a band with basically no idea of what to expect in terms of quality. But I'm happy to report that Hang is much closer to Foxygen's previous releases than their most recent one.

This time the band has affixed their retro-telescope on a diverse set of styles, although they mostly have their eye on 70s northern soul and glam rock, mixed with a heaping helping of baroque pop horns and strings. Along the way we find ourselves in different eras - of particular note is the song America, which makes time for both a bit of a jazzy lindy-hop and some literal baroque music in the middle. The music itself is sublimely joyful, and consistently heightened and dramatic. It could end up feeling overblown, but as usual Foxygen exercises some level of detachment in their loving pastiches.

Try it out, this one really grew on me during a second listen. I'm really glad that Foxygen is back on form.

Stream in full below via YouTube.

Highlights: Avalon • America • On Lankershim