Album Focus: Foxes

Emo rock outfit Foxes launch their long-awaited album, Organic Vessels, at Amplifier this Saturday, July 25, with help from Puck, Statues, and Apollo Zen, Guitarist Jesse Blanchard lets us in to the chicken coop. 

What’s the Foxes story?

I’ve been playing music with Jake Humphreys since about 2009. The rest of us all eventually found each other through a mutual interest of wanting to play a specific type of music. Even though our influences have changed and spread out, it all still seems to work. Short story is that we’re all just sad boys wanting to whinge together. 

Define “whinge together.”

It’s pretty much post-hardcore/screamo stuff. Although both genres are now considered dirty words, I would say that’s still at the core of our sound except we decided to buy reverb pedals. 

You’ve been around for a good five years now. How has the band changed/developed in that time?
Our songs have gotten longer. Besides that I would say its the same sort of progression as many bands. An old song may have a hint of a certain subgenre we hadn’t incorporated before. We grab that vibe and try base a new song around it and then try throw in something different into that song again. Trying not to keep it too one dimensional.  

Tell us about Organic Vessels.

The other day I found an old demo from 2011 for Stomp The Earthworm, our first single. I would say that is when writing began. We played an old version of that song at YaYas with The Novocaines - I think in 2013, maybe? Either way, it’s taken a long time. Songs being either drawn out, compressed or scrapped then revisited. We just wanted the whole album to remain interesting and fresh, start to finish. 

Where did you record?

We recorded with Ron Pollard from Studio Sleepwalkers Dread. The fact he put up with us re: tracking part after part when we decided we wanted to do something minimally different (and probably barely audible) is a miracle. Being in a fantastic band himself (Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving), he also gave us heaps of ideas and direction of certain songs and vibes when they were a little bit lost. Good dog too. 

What does the rest of the year hold for you?

Hopefully heading over east in November and writing as soon as possible. Going to try bang out an EP as an apology for taking so long with the album. Sadder than the last. 

Anything else to add?

Shout out to Alec Thomas, get better soon mate. 

Originally published in X-Press Magazine