It goes without saying that The Albatross was a beautiful mess of a record. It was raw, abrasive, passionate, and considered a flawless masterpiece in the realm of emo revival. It was also the band’s debut, and a perfect start may lead to unfathomable stress and pressure for a sophomore release to meet the expectations of the first. Luckily, Foxing managed to create a new masterpiece that goes by the name of Dealer.
Dealer is not The Albatross Part II by any means. The key difference is that Foxing now functions as one cohesive unit as opposed to an instrumental backdrop for Connor Murphy’s emotionally explosive vocal performance. While Murphy’s approach is not as aggressive in nature this time around, his overwhelming emotion is still ever present in each syllable sung.
The St. Louis quintet’s sound has matured and mellowed out by zeroing in on its post rock side entirely. This news may come as a letdown to the emo kids clutching their Albatross vinyl ever so tightly, but I promise the passion and emotion the band pours into their art is equally as present; just channeled differently.
Foxing manages to meet every expectation The Albatross set by crafting a completely different yet equally layered work of art. However, the band’s true talents come to light with their live performance. I highly recommend both Foxing LPs primarily to familiarize yourself with the material before immersing yourself in what will probably be one of the most memorable live music experiences of your life.