Review: Foxes - Glorious

Louisa Rose Allen, known more commonly by her stage name, Foxes, has been around for about 3 years. She gained notoriety after lending her vocals to Zedd's 'Clarity' and worked with Fall Out Boy on their latest album.

She has been releasing singles from her debut, Glorious, since September 2013, and many people in the UK will recognise her track 'Youth' from Debenham's 2013 Christmas advert. Earlier this year she also released Let Go For Tonight and Holding Onto Heaven. Foxes' Glorious opens with Talking to Ghosts, it's a strong opener, and features elements from dubstep to synthpop. Foxes' sound is definitely of the time, but there's an 80s influence creeping in as well. The album's first five tracks include the three already released singles, so it is a big opening.

The album slows with Night Glo, and there's no denying Foxes has a lovely voice, it suits her upbeat songs as much as her slow songs, but it is nice to hear it clearly on the slower songs. Night Owls Early Birds follows, and it is one of the best tracks on the album, a definite summer hit. The album's title track is a beautiful one, big bass drums and slow piano. Echo, to me, is definite of the time with artists such as Sam Smith rising in popularity, I could see this song doing well. The album ends on another slower song, Count The Saints which is a wonderful track.

Clarity features on the deluxe version of the album, and you can tell why it wasn't featured on the standard album. Foxes solo style is very different and while it is a good track for having a dance to, it's not as melodic as Foxes' other tracks.

I would give Glorious a 6/10, she's made a good album, it's easy to get into, and Foxes' certainly has a bright future ahead of her, but there are areas it does fall a little short.

Review - Too Much Information - Maxïmo Park

Those, like me, who have been with Maximo Park since the beginning, will notice a bit of a change in direction with some songs on Too Much Information. That being said, it's not a bad change. Every band's sound matures and listening to Too Much Information's predecessor The National Health, you can see that it was a very natural path to take.

The album opens with Give, Get, Take. It's a toe-tapping number, and instantly the presence of the synths are there, and this carries the album all the way through it's opening tracks. This leads through to Brain Cells, and Leave This Island, this is where that change in direction really comes into play. Two purely synth driven songs. It took a couple of listens to get used to the sound, but both carry what Maximo Park's strengths have always been, good lyrics and catchy tunes. I've found myself with both in my head on more than once occasion.

Lydia, The Ink Will Never Dry moves to more familiar sounds, certainly reminiscent of songs from earlier works such as Our Earthly Pleasures, just more mature. Maximo Park are now on their fifth studio album, so the changes in sound are not radical nor too surprising, simply the sounds of an established band who know what they like to play.
My Bloody Mind is a personal favourite of mine, it starts off punchy, fast-paced but halfway through slows down and becomes more melodic, the change on paper seems like it wouldn't work, but it blends so seamlessly you don't even notice.

Of the last few tracks on Too Much Information, Is It True?, Drinking Martinis, and Midnight On The Hill are of a similar vein to Lydia, in that they are in-keeping with Maximo Park's well established sound. I Recognise This Light is another of my favourites, fast-paced, one to sing along and have a bit of a dance to. Her Name Was Audre is an energetic song and definitely a track for the live shows, it does lead nicely, however, into the final track of the album, Where We're Going, which is a slower but very good song. It's a nice ending to the album.

Fans of Maximo Park are sure to enjoy this latest offering, and for any new fans it's a very easy album to listen to.