Foxwarren : 2

Andy Shauf has the kind of voice that is quite indistinguishable. When the Canadian singer/songwriter is singing, the song becomes his. Like Dylan, Bowie, or McCartney, there’s no mistaking the voice delivering the words and melodies. Albums like The Party, The Neon Skyline, and his most recent Norm have the essence of classic 70s singer/songwriter records, that is they are singular to him.

So when you listen to Foxwarren, the Canadian indie rock band Shauf fronts along with brothers Darryl and Avery Kissick, Dallas Bryson and Colin Nealis, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking it was just an Andy Shauf record. Their official debut released in 2018 had the same slow motion, folksy vibe that Shauf brings to his own records. Memorable, rusty melodies and a feeling of melancholic nostalgia that hangs in the air long after the record ends. Sepia-toned, sad sack tomes about vast skies and wounded, open hearts.

But on the band’s newest record – simply titled 2 – Foxwarren sounds more like its own thing. Shauf’s vocals are still front and center, but the band spreads out and brings a new feel to a well worn thing.

Opener “Dance” feels like something emanating from a simpler time; strings, piano, and subtle percussion accompany Andy Shauf’s low key vocals. His voice feels like someone telling a story in a crowded small town bar, perched on a stool with a half warm beer sitting in front of him. Not quite whispering, but not quite loud enough for the locale. “Sleeping” picks up the pace with a subtle funky rhythm and a string section sounding like it was pulled from some old black and white film. Vocal harmonies stacked, making the voices sound as if they’re beaming in from some other world.

In-between songs snippets of old films play, giving the record an almost ghostly feel. Or maybe slightly like an MF Doom record. It gives the proceedings a dream-like quality, and songs like the soft rock piano romp “Say It” or the Dr. Dog-esque “Strange” stand out. “Havana” drips in wistful emotion, while “Round&round” gives us a head-bobbing rhythm that you can’t help move to. And “Wings” dabbles in disco grooves to great effect.

Foxwarren’s 2 still sounds like an Andy Shauf record. But with looser production and unique musical turns the band has come a long way to sound more like, well, a band.