Foxy Shazam
The Church of Rock and Roll
Release Date: Jan 24, 2012
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Record label: Capitol
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Album Review: The Church of Rock and Roll by Foxy Shazam
Fairly Good, Based on 4 Critics
Based on rating 7.2/10
Foxy Shazam is a band best enjoyed loud. The group is raucous and slightly insulting, like when frontman Eric Nally proclaims, “That’s the biggest black ass I’ve ever seen and I like it.” The Cincinnati-based sextext—comprised of Nally (vocals), Loren Turner (guitar), Daisy (bass), Sky White (piano), Aaron McVeigh (drums) and Alex Nauth (horns)—released its fourth album, The Church of Rock & Roll, led by the aforementioned single “I Like It” today through the newly re-launched I.R.S. Records.
Based on rating 6/10
Foxy Shazam always felt like a band that was looking to bring "over-the-top" back to rock & roll, pushing the envelope on bombast as if their mission was to make Sparks seem not only straitlaced, but dull by comparison. On The Church of Rock and Roll, however, it seems that change is in the air. From the album's titular opening track, where singer Eric Nally proclaims, "Your music sucks including us, it's time we clear our name," to the stark mission statement in the liner notes that lets the listener know, "Foxy Shazam is a jet plane going down and we have been playing the same tune the whole way.
Based on rating C+
Do you remember when rock ‘n’ roll was fun? When you listened to rock to bang your head and yell the lyrics at the top of your lungs? If you don’t remember, or never have, well, it’s a shame. Bands like The Darkness, Electric Six, and Andrew WK have made rock fun again, and are continually trying to reclaim rock from the more serious folks. It’s easy to toss these bands aside as kitschy and over-the-top, but they just want to show you a good time.
Based on rating 5/10
Like Betty White, over-the-top rock ‘n’ roll bands are not subject to the vagaries of time and are best appreciated with a knowing camp wink. So if you’re naming your album The Church of Rock and Roll as the rowdy Cincinnati crew Foxy Shazam have done with their fourth full length, you sure as heck better come correct. And that goes double if your band name is “Foxy Shazam”.