Album Review: Foxx Bandits - Gold Dresses

Someone really should have mentioned that the "Shoegaze" genre was back in fashion. It wasn’t great the first time, and it’s really not a lot different now. Never heard of it? Think early nineties indie, before grunge and Britpop. And unfortunately, Foxx Bandits fall into this category with their debut four-track EP, ‘Gold Dresses’, released through Inaugural Records. It’s not that this EP is boring exactly; it’s just missing that all-important edge to make you want to listen past the first song.

‘Beach Fatigue’ starts promisingly, but amounts to, well, not very much. It’s very monotonous, the vocals are dreary, and it’s hardly innovative either. For a band that has so much hype around them, you’d think they could have produced a slightly more interesting opener. The next track, ‘Kafka’, really highlights the ‘lo-fi’ quality of the album, and it’s one of the best things about it. This track is understated and minimal, without being boring. It has the atmospheric elements of a lullaby, and all in all is a beautifully written song.

On a completely different note, ‘Youth’ is faster paced and far more catchy. The guitar and drum parts are more obvious and give this track a harder edge, making it really stand out from the rest of the EP. And in a good way. Title track ‘Gold Dresses’ finally features some good vocals. Singing just a few octaves lower makes Foxx Bandits much more easy to listen to. But this track still has the same overall monotony to it as the previous tracks. Having said that, it does round the album off nicely, coming to an abrupt end that works very well with the rest of the song.

I think it’s safe to say that Foxx Bandits are an acquired taste. If you can’t even stomach the Klaxons, then I doubt you’ll think very much of ‘Gold Dresses’. Despite this, there are a few glimmers of genius on this EP, such as the lyrics, and the brilliant song writing on the second track. It’s likely that this is a band who would be far better to watch live than to listen to, because they just don’t seem to convey the magic that many have been raving about through the recordings. Overall, it’s just another kooky indie-folk EP.

2.5/5

'Gold Dresses' by Foxx Bandits is released on December 6th through Inaugural Records.

Foxx Bandits on MySpace, Twitter and Facebook.

Blaise Ruston