Wednesday, January 27, 2016

New from Fuzzy Vox: No Landing Plan!

Today I have the pleasure of offering a sneak peak at what will surely be one of 2016's best LPs. No Landing Plan, due out February 26th, is the sophomore album from French garage rockers Fuzzy Vox. Tasked with following up 2014's dynamite debut On Heat, Hugo and the gang have pulled out all the stops and delivered a truly electrifying rock n' roll record! The band traveled all the way to sunny southern California to record with veteran studio men Ryan Castle and Andy Brohard. The trio also enlisted the legendary Howie Weinberg to master No Landing Plan. Clearly Fuzzy Vox spared no expense in pursuit of an amazing sounding album. Just as importantly, the band entered the studio with a fantastic batch of songs!

Like On Heat, No Landing Plan marries the raw energy of garage rock n' roll to the big hooks of power pop. On early tracks like "Explosion Of Love" and "Distracted", Fuzzy Vox returns to its "younger cousins of The Hives" blueprint - tearing out of the gates with loud guitars, frantic drumming, and a beat that's sure to get you up and dancing. If you're looking for a jolt of energy to jump-start your day, this is even better than caffeine! But just when you think you've got a handle on this record, it takes some unexpected and enjoyable turns. "Grow Evil" alternates between jumpy power pop in the verse to screaming grunge rock angst in the chorus. I haven't heard a pop song this bi-polar in a whole lot of years - and the best part is that it actually works! And when the album reaches its middle part, it truly hits its stride with several songs that show off Fuzzy Vox's considerable development as songwriters. The snappy and infectious "I Got A Girl" brings to mind Look Sharp era Joe Jackson, while "Don't Leave Me Behind" is the radio-ready power pop smash I always knew this band was capable of creating. "They Shot Charlie" is the best Fuzzy Vox song yet - a bold mix of serious social commentary and triumphant, irresistible hooks. And closing track "A Reason To Love" is completely different from the rest of the album - suggesting late '60s Stones/Kinks jangle with a modern makeover.

No Landing Plan is an album that firmly establishes Fuzzy Vox as one of the top garage rock n' roll bands going. While the production is of the highest quality, it has an edge to it that really suits the band's strengths. Having previously worked in the studio with the likes of Jet and The Hives, Castle and Brohard are the rare professional engineers that truly "get" rock n' roll. When you're recording a band with a red-hot rhythm section and a first-rate howler on lead vocals, your first task is to not get in the way of the rock! No Landing Plan moves Fuzzy Vox's music in a more melodic direction without sacrificing any of the band's signature energy. This is as fun and infectious as garage rock gets. And if you're looking for a band that puts the power in power pop, this trio is absolutely for you! Shine up your dancing shoes and set your volume knob for extra loud!



-L.R.

https://www.facebook.com/fuzzyvox/
http://fuzzyvox.com/
https://fuzzyvox.bandcamp.com/

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