Foxy Shazam – The Church Of Rock And Roll

Label: I.R.S. Records

Release Date: January 24, 2012

Rating: 9/10

Reviewed by: ToddStar

Any band that grabs a tour with The Darkness is good in my book. When you couple that with their newest release, you have a band that is seemingly on top of the world. These guys embraced their roots but really took it to the next level and added very cool rock aspects to their disc, no doubt due to the production of Justin Hawkins.

“Welcome To The Church Of Rock And Roll” kicks the doors in and introduces us to a heavier and more guitar driven Foxy Shazam. If this is any indication as to the quality of music I am about to hear, bring it on. “I Like It” has several sounds that indicate some heavy English influence. This sounds like a missing Led Zeppelin song – and that is a good thing! The chorus has to be one of the funniest in a long time that I have heard. You have to hear it for yourself. “Holy Touch” is another great song that got my foot tapping right away. It is so hard to pigeon hole the sound on this disc, but that is refreshing, as several bands like to find a niche and stick with it. These guys are all about writing feel good songs that make you want to move. “Last Chance At Love” follows the lead of the previous track and keeps the energy up. This disc is so refreshing and fun.

“Forever Together” is the first song to slow down a little. If I didn’t know who this was, I would have mistaken this track for Butch Walker (and that is good, cuz I am a total Butch fan!!!). This has a mellow groove that picks up at the chorus and returns to form. “(It’s) Too Late Baby” has a very tribal feeling as the percussion and vocals kick in, but don’t be mistaken, this is another great tune that will keep you entertained. “I Wanna Be Yours” is the next song to grace this disc. It is a good song, but in my opinion is more geared for an acoustic artist (I could see Sheryl Crow doing this one). Again, not bad, just didn’t sound like their track. “Wasted Feelings” has a very funk filled groove and vibe surrounding it. The vocals and music work really well here. I have to say, it is another toe tapper that kicks in to a great up-tempo song.

“The Temple” starts off like a very heavy tune. The music lightens up slightly, but the vocals add a bit of angst and keep the song on a dark path. Quite the diversion from the rest of the disc, but good nonetheless. “The Streets” gets the funky feeling again from a killer bass groove. It is pleasant to see a slower tempo song keep its rock feeling and not turn into a ballad. This is the closest this disc comes to an anthem song, but the bridges change up the song. The tempo changes frequently and makes this song another fun track. “Freedom” is honestly my least favorite track on the disc. It has a great message and the lyrics are awesome, just not a song that fits this disc in my mind.

It is comforting to see a band adapt from previous releases and get this much better this quickly. Not that their earlier releases didn’t have the punch, they just weren’t my thing. This is a definite high charter on my Best Of list for 2012 so far. I can’t wait to see how they progress and carry this momentum into the future. As the guys start the disc with “Welcome To The Church Of Rock And Roll,” all I can do is end this review with a big Amen!!!

http://foxyshazam.com/

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Tags: Church of Rock And Roll, Darkness, EMI, Foxy Shazam

Category: CD Reviews