Foxy Shazam are one of those bands that deserve to be on a higher pedestal, however at the moment they are still very much under the radar. Forget the look and focus on the music and the songs. For the band, hang in there long enough and you get lucky. You put out good work and nothing happens…and then something does!

“Welcome To The Church Of Rock And Roll”

Who’s that guy singing? That was my first impression when I heard Foxy Shazam. I was hearing Geddy Lee from Rush. I was hearing Freddie Mercury from Queen. I was hearing Robert Plan from Led Zeppelin.

“Your music sucks including us
It’s time we cleared our name”

Rock N Roll is a virus that never leaves the body. We all always return to it over and over again.

“All you suckers are a flock of sheep
I’ll be your shepherd, follow me”

Hallelujah is what I say.

And then as soon as I got into the song it was over after 2 minutes. It was like a freight train going off the rails and screaming the message for the “Church Of Rock N Roll”. I couldn’t get it out of my head so I replayed it over and over again. And the magic went through me one more time.

Despite the song being recorded in the studio, it has the energy and excitement of a live performance. It is a career-defining number and no one has heard it. You can’t even find it on Spotify.

“I Like It”

After the constant replaying of the “Welcome To The Church Rock N Roll”, I decided it was time to move on.

Foxy Shazam take an overused A5 to G power chord groove from the era of the British Rock movement and add their own unique Americana twist to it. The familiarity of the riff makes the song instantly accessible.

“I Like It” also ends under the 3 minute mark and it’s another song that makes me hit the replay icon.

“That’s the biggest black ass I’ve ever seen and I like it.”

That’s the way our musicians used to be. It was all about having fun and being funny. Then they all became servants to the belief that you need to sell out in order to have a career and make money.

“Holy Touch”

If this song doesn’t hook you by now, stop reading. It’s classic rock, with a touch of ELO. This one comes in at the two minute and fifty nine second mark. In under 10 minutes, Foxy Shazam had me converted.

“Last Chance At Love”

The BEST cut off the album. The piece de resistance. It’s got this Thin Lizzy meets ELO vibe. The chorus reminds me of every classic rock station around. If you don’t know the song then you’re in for a treat. Finally a song that passed the 3 minute mark, by 17 seconds.

“Forever Together”

I though I was listening to Tracy Chapman for a second, that is how eclectic Eric Nally’s voice is…. It’s a story song. It’s like Eric is recounting the story at the local pub to a complete stranger. There’s no denying the passion. It’s evident on “Forever Together”.

“It’s Too Late Baby”

Another great song.

Gospel backing vocals. Check.

Unbelievable lead vocals. Check.

Great groove in the song. Check.

Arena Rock chorus. Check.

4 minutes long and it includes a lead break which fits the song to a tee.

“I Wanna Be Yours”

It’s got an acoustic riff that kicks it off and a simple foot tapping drum beat, but what a groove. Infectious.

“Wasted Feelings”

How can I explain this song? Jazzy melodic rock like Steely Dan merged with Bee Gees falsetto vocal lines. It’s got horns, it’s got moods and some serious grooves.

WHO ARE THESE GUYS! It is that kind of album. It had me interested to find out more. When I heard it in 2012, I had no idea who was in the band, who produced it or how long the band had been together. It’s always cool to hear a fresh sounding retro album while most of the other acts chase modern rock hits that they still don’t have. The first eight tracks are special.

I had a feeling that it was their third or fourth album as the songs were so refined and so concise that a band starting off would never write songs in that fashion. So after doing some research, I found out it was their fourth album. My instincts proved correct.

As I write this today, I still haven’t heard the first three albums or the new album that came out in March this year. I will get around to them.

The album is produced by Justin Hawkins from “The Darkness” fame and you can hear the vocal influence on Eric Sean Nally. It is also the band’s first and last release on I.R.S.

And “Welcome To The Church of Rock ‘N’ Roll” is a classic because it hops genre’s so effortlessly and Foxy Shazam get away with doing a good job at it. It doesn’t sound like pop music but it does sound like the classics on radio. And back in 2012, it had me spreading the gospel of Foxy Shazam.