Foxygen: Hang ALBUM REVIEW

Hang is the fourth full length LP from Foxygen, a duo that is known for bringing a diverse mix of classic rock styles together in a collage of sounds ranging from The Velvet Underground to The Rolling Stones. I've been a casual fan of these guys since their debut EP/ LP, but I'd be lying if I said that their last LP, ...And Star Power wasn't a let down. That LP was just so tame and overly long for Foxygen, not to mention the production was pretty sub-par in a lot of places. Couple that with the fact that the duo went on a bit of a hiatus immediately after its release and Foxygen seemed like they would go down as another band that started strong before fizzling out. Luckily, with the release of Hang, the duo not only breaks that trend by releasing another LP, but it just so happens to be my favorite of their discography thus far.

The opening track "Follow The Leader" starts things off right; this track has a big Rolling Stones feel, a very Some Girls feel with a lot of attitude and a fantastic hook. Not to mention, this track struts the added instrumentation that Hang brings to the table in a perfect way, setting the listener up for the rest of the LP. In fact, this album is not just a step up from the last LP, but this is easily one of the classiest, most lush sounding LP's I've heard in years, and is simply a joy to listen to. The track "Avalon" brings a Roxy Music vibe to the table, with again, a hook to die for and instrumentation that simply soars.

But not every moment on this LP is upbeat and jubilant, as the tracks "America" and "Trauma" give this album some nice variety. But to be honest, there's not much room on this album for boredom to set in, this thing is only eight tracks long, and by the time it ends, I feel like the LP could easily go on for another four tracks. But despite the brevity, this album still feels whole, and that has a lot to do with just how well written every track is on Hang. Even the minute and a half "Upon A Hill" feels pretty complete, even if I wish it was a bit longer, and every other track here shows the group working with their usual progressive approach to songwriting, with a lot of tempo changes that will keep the listener on the edge of their seat; something that was distinctly missing from their last album.

Simply put, this is the first great album of the year in my opinion, and again, it is easily my favorite Foxygen album to date. Check it out.

8.5/10