I love it when I receive an out-of-the-blue tweet or email from an artist or band who would like me to hear their music. Usually these messages come from folks that I've built up a relationship with... but sometimes (exception not rule) they come from someone I don’t know. I welcome all music but have to ask for an offline copy... I do a lot of my deep listening on the train or walking the dog... and streaming just doesn’t work for me in these settings.
Anyway, I received an email from Ariel Loh from Stone Cold Fox... an indie rock duo from New York. He saw my review of Sink \ Sink (his friend, Calumn is part of Sink \ Sink) and wondered if I would take a listen to his band’s latest EP... entitled ”the young EP”. I was honoured to be asked and grateful to be given an mp3 copy to consume.
My initial reaction was delight... the EP is chock full of the most delightfully upbeat, very now, kind of folky, indie rock. My next reaction was one of surprise... with music this good, I was gobsmacked that they weren't already a household name... but I’ll come to that in a moment.
Their music is fab... truly upbeat guitar-orientated rock with vibrant, distinctly ”now” indie stylings. The lyrics are, at times, profound and searching... and at other times light and jovial... but they are all delivered in an earnest, accessible manner that facilitates the kind of unconscious sing-a-long and dance-like-a-loon response... a response that makes their music irresistible to me... kind of like how I respond to Phoenix or Vampire Weekend.
I know I normally talk about ambient, post-rock etc and don't really talk about indie rock... but I have a fondness for some good sing-a-long and dance-like-a-loon music... and ”the young EP” is as good as it gets, in my opinion. I would love to see Stone Cold Fox live... I think they would have a presence that would belie their age and experience... and make for a really great night.
Which gets me onto my other point... why are they not already ”out there”? Sometimes the music industry makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to me.. I mean... why are some bands in the public eye whilst others bask in obscurity? I want Stone Cold Fox to succeed... I want Loh and Kevin Olken (who plays guitar and sings) to be as big as Mumford and Sons. Certainly from listening to this EP... almost on repeat... they deserve to be!
I would highly recommend this EP to you and would actively encourage the band to create a Bandcamp presence to ensure as many people as possible can be exposed to their vibrancy. I've embedded their soundcloud to let you hear them… enjoy!
Recommended.
Tx
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