Creating seemingly outdated music may seem like a lost cause in today’s world of music, but Foxy Shazam are skipping down the perfect path with their latest release of authentic and emotional rock music. Their electric fourth studio album, The Church of Rock and Roll, has everything a great album should: sharp Freddie Mercury-esque vocals, copious amounts of intricate and distorted guitar solos, funky ska-influenced horn sections, and even a gospel-sounding chorus on some tracks. The album is capable of taking you through an entire era with each listen. 

Their old-soul sound, most recently produced by Justin Hawkins, the flamboyant lead singer of the British band the Darkness, has taken a unique turn here.  With a fusion of new ska, punk, soul, and classic rock, it’s not hard to follow this band like “a flock of sheep,” as Nally sings in the opening track. 

Foxy Shazam don’t expect to appeal to the masses, but rather they poke fun at and accept their status as a niche band. The message of their music is still crystal clear; Foxy Shazam envision themselves as today’s leading preachers in the present-day Church of Rock and Roll, and we are simply believers.

—Vanessa Salvo