Remember how I said only time could tell if I was going to follow up my single review with this album review? No? Then you probably did not read my single review.

And who could blame you for that?

Self-deprecating humor aside, I am here today to tell you all about Dealer, the most recent release from one of my all time favorite groups, Foxing.

Absolutely killing the emo/post rock game with its debut album The Albatross, no one could ever possibly hope to argue that members of Foxing are not wildly talented. With astounding vocal strength, beautiful and emotive guitar work, driving bass, and mind blowing drums, Foxing could have been seen as a Beethoven of the emo world. They are incredibly cathartic. So much so that they have addressed their previous work on the opening track “Weave” by likening it to “Making a living off of drowning…” The band has said that it aimed to take a more enjoyable approach more rather than to its audience with this LP, so the question is: Does Dealer stack up?

Not exactly.

I had two big worries as I gazed into the play button on Spotify for this album, and those were that I was not emotionally ready, and that I might be disappointed with what I heard. It was easy to notice the difference in energy right off the bat with Dealer, assessing off of the two singles that preceded it. Nothing was boring, do not get me wrong, but I could tell this was going to be an album more focused on ambiance than catharsis. How right I was as I listened through the 11 track release. There are many differences to note between this and The Albatross. Whereas the former album dabbled in pianos and strings, Dealer is rich with them. The same can be said for electronic percussion, as we hear much more of it this time around. Personally, I have been a fan of these elements in Foxing’s music, and along with the more advanced structure of their songs, I have always thought of said elements as key components in their sound. What I did not know was how easy it was to make these elements grow old.

In other words, Foxing tried too hard.

Or maybe they did not try enough? Not as much stuff will jump out on this album. Tracks like “The Magdalene” and “Glass Coughs” will incite nostalgia, as they are more similar to something found on The Albatross. “Night Channels,” the third track, shows the potential Foxing is tapping into on this album. The track is based around a piano chord progression and uses electronic percussion; even some synth can be heard, but guitar is still prominent. In the last minute of the track, there is a higher speed drum pattern before the final breakdown, and the rhythm on “Eiffel” is very odd and bouncy, both of these being relatively new for the group. These are the kind of tracks I was expecting to see more of on Dealer, but instead I was met with ones like “Winding Cloth” and “Coda,” which are instrumental tracks with nothing that interesting about them. It is an emotional orchestra telling about a bad day. As for the vocals, nearly all of the shouting that had become such a key element in Foxing’s sound have been discontinued. The words are even more lost in the mix here, and while none of the singing is done horribly, it is not done with the kind of passion expected. There are, however, some choruses that will stick out in the more intense tracks, and when they do, listeners will be nodding/banging their heads right along with them.

Should you listen to it?

Sure, but feel free to skip around. There is honestly bland space here, and I understand completely if listeners are not down with the more ambient, atmospheric parts. Dealer is by no means a bad album. I personally enjoyed it, but it is not that outlandish to say they could have done more interesting things. If this is what they are happier doing, however, more power to them.

STRINGS, PIANOS, GUITARS, REVERB, AMAZING DRUMS, LOVE, SORROW

TOP TRACK: THE MAGDALENE

TRACK TO TRY: NIGHT CHANNELS

LAME TRACK: CODA

5.5+/10

image credit: Brooklyn Vega, Sophie’s Floorboard