Photography Alex K. Justice
It’s 2023, and nostalgia is the name of the game. Despite any number of leaps and bounds in the musical sphere, no amount of “progress” can muscle out those precious little gems of the past that remind us of brighter times and keep us listening back to the same songs over and over again. That’s not to say, however, that forward thinking and innovation is lost on those artists leading the charge.
Things have changed. Things will always change. Ransacked hotel rooms, empty heroin syringes, yearly inductees into The 27 Club… it all feels so antiquated now. Rock n’ Roll isn’t quite the hedonistic coke circus it once was, but does that signify its long-dreaded demise? Not according to some people.
“Owning who you are. That’s Rock n’ Roll,”
Foxies frontwoman Julia Bullock told me. It’s been 10 years since Bullock formed her band in Phoenix, Arizona. Now comprised of Jake Ohlbaum (guitar), Rob Bodley (drums), and Bullock on vocals, the group is definitively one of this generation’s most promising musical entities (take a look at their recent write-up in SPIN here).
Fragments of Paramore, The B-52’s, and No Doubt! will leap out at listeners with old familiar zeal, but the music of The Foxies, despite being heavily influenced by some of the greatest artists in contemporary years, certainly isn’t starved for originality.
It’s something of a pop punk laden revival that’s pushing the genre to new parameters with intention, tact, and soul, and it honestly couldn’t come at a better time. In a sense, The Foxies are everything Rock n’ Roll needs right now.
There’s plenty to unpack in their sound, but Julia Bullock stresses the importance of her band’s message as being paramount to all.
“We want everyone to be fucking happy. We want you to know that you are seen, you are loved, you are heard, and you are welcome”
We live in a world of pariahs, punks, and pandemoniacs, but The Foxies have made a personal crusade out of making room for everybody. Bullock’s onstage prowess is playful, sexy, and robust, but it’s as much the fans’ show as it is her band’s.
“Most people go to shows to escape something. They go to be one with everybody else in the moment and participate in something bigger than whatever bullshit they’re dealing with in the outside world”
You also never lose sight of how honest these songs are. Even the most perky and light-hearted of them is cosigned with a degree of vulnerability that’s incredibly inviting, and I think that’s how the band accesses their fanbase on such a personal level. You could say it’s what bridges the gap between fandom and family.
“What better chance to remind a person that they’re loved than right there at a show?”
Case in point, “Call Me Later”. It’s what Bullock refers to as the ultimate love song to her listeners. It’s got that classic “throw your arms up and cheer” feel coupled with a subtle romantic narrative that we can all relate to.
The song has a modest but slick delivery. It’s heavily pop-influenced and invokes something from the archives of Cyndi Lauper. There’s a sort of electric bounce to it that fans of traditional new wave will appreciate as well.
“This new music feels like we’re finding our sound all over again”
You can definitely count on something new, but don’t worry – the best of the old is coming with it.
“Call Me Later” drops this Friday (you can pre-save it here) and another track is locked and loaded for a late February release, so keep your ears prepped for some excellent new tunes from The Foxies.
