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[one_half last=”yes”]FOXYGEN
…And Star Power
Release-Date: 14.10.2014
Label: Jagjaguwar
Tracklist:
I. The Hits and Star Power Suite
01. Star Power Airlines
02. How Can You Really
03. Coulda Been My Love
04. Cosmic Vibrations
05. You & I
06. Star Power I: Overture
07. Star Power II: Star Power Nite
08. Star Power III: What Are We Good For
09. Star Power IV: Ooh Ooh
II. The Paranoid Side
10. I Don’t Have Anything/The Gate
11. Mattress Warehouse
12. 666
13. Flowers
14. Wally’s Farm
15. Cannibal Holocaust
16. Hot Summer
Disc Two:
III. Scream: Journey Through Hell
1. Cold Winter/Freedom
2. Can’t Contextualize My Mind
3. Brooklyn Police Station
4. The Game
5. Freedom II
6. Talk
IV. Hang on To Love
7. Everyone Needs Love
8. Hang
NBHAP Rating: 4/5
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An extended voyage
In a curious but pleasant surprise after the band’s recently quiet period (including the cancellation of a world tour for the sake of ‘creative health’), we’ve been treated to not one, but a pair of records split like a mandarin across multiple segments. The first, cheekily titled The Hits/Where’s The Hook? is the beckoning finger down the pop path, loaded with the punchy choruses and sugarsweet melodies we’ve come to love from FOXYGEN. The second side, however, takes a somewhat more experimental turn – by the time we’ve reached Wally’s Farm things are already warbled, woozy, slightly intergalactic. Cold Winter/Freedom steps it up a notch considerably, a static death march into primal drums and hoots. The extension and experiment hasn’t been at the sacrifice of quality, however: on a few exemplary occasions, it appears that more is simply more.
Night at the theatre
…And Star Power possesses a strong theatrical vibe; rolling drums, soaring singalongs and grandiose instrumentals. In this sense, it should also be treated like a play – sit down to listen to it when you’ve got some time on your hands, preferably at night with a few candle-spotlights around. Treat it with patience and you will be rewarded. The split across two records allows for an interlude, the perfect window during which to grab another box of popcorn or top up your glass of red wine.
Tongue-in-cheek pastiche
FOXYGEN have never been known for dwelling too long on the sentimental; and considering the colossal number of records the pair have created together since forming the band in middle school, how could they have time to? This is fun music, unashamedly peeking and borrowing all along the temporal thread. The result is a delightful weaving together of Jagger’s hip-shaking roar, BOWIE‘s glam alter-egos, BEACH BOY-esque vocal harmonies and a plethora of other gems that form a shimmering rug of glittery goodness.
‘…And Star Power’ is a sweet velvety delight. Taking the best of what we’ve come to expect from the band, their special brand of shiny, eccentric pop has been pushed and furthered into a more mysterious and enigmatic realm.
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