It was in the spring of 2014 when I had the good fortune of being introduced to Providence’s Twin Foxes through the bands 3-song demo release, but that’s all it took, really. The 3 tracks on that EP were played relentlessly and for good reason. Twin Foxes were able to give nods to seminal 90’s guitar bands like Built To Spill, Jawbreaker, and with the pop sensibilities of Superdrag, all while managing to deliver something wholly original, beyond those heavy weight influences. Over the next few years Providence’s self-described heavy indie rock outfit delivered a couple of notable releases 2015’s self-titled EP and last year’s split with fellow Providence noise rock concern , Darklands. Both those EP’s found the band pushing their sound into more dynamic directions while fronter, Jared Mann delivered impressive songwriting rife with wit, introspection and alluring melodies.
Today marks the release of Twin Foxes debut full length LP, Sleeping On The Attic Floor which finds the band displaying an even heavier dose of fuzz, shoegaze, and 90’s guitar crunch than it’s predecessors, paired with the bands strongest song cycle to date. Back in December we had the chance to speak with Jared Mann in an AGP interview and gain some insight on the concept of the new material.
“It’s probably the heaviest thing we’ve done music and lyric wise. I took on some themes of self-discovery, mental illness, and family history in my own life and I believe used the record as a stepping stone to grow as a person. Music’s super therapeutic for me, and spilling my guts this time around just felt right.”
On the album’s opener, Mountain Twin Foxes kicks things off with a slow building track brimming with chiming guitar and complex rhythms before giving way to exhilarating squalls of feedback. On Drownd, the new sets sure fire hit, (if there was any justice or a radio station worth a damn these days) the band delivers a raucous post-punk anthem compete with a catchy as hell chorus before transitioning into a slowcore dirge. The song is reminiscent of Modest Mouse’s, The Stars Are Projectors, but here Twin Foxes put their own stamp on things with vibrant melodies and pristine instrumentation. Throughout this 10 song LP, Twin Foxes manage to surpass expectations set by their early output and intoxicating Live shows by unveiling a thoroughly engaging and expertly written and produced LP. Speaking of which, the new album was tracked and produced by Mann, an audio engineer by trade at his home studio, Distorted Forest and mastered at Machines With Magnets in Pawtucket, making SOTF a true product of the vibrant Providence scene.
Over the past couple of months I have spent a considerable amount of time listening to these songs and as much as I was smitten early on these tracks seem to reveal their subtle charms and considerable hooks during each revisitation. One of the characteristics that I have found in some of my favorite records is those albums that you can put on and find a new favorite track each and every time, Sleeping On The Attic Floor is that type of album. For instance, last month while driving down an desolate highway between Omaha and Lincoln, NE trying to follow GPS directions when seemingly out of nowhere this album’s title track came blaring out of my rental car speakers to bowl me over. The track succinctly encompasses everything that drew me to this band in the first place, angular guitar lines, intricate rhythms, and gigantic pop hooks. With Sleeping On The Attic Floor, Twin Foxes have issued an exceptional record filled with intelligent song craft buoyed upon a sea of distortion and an LP that begs to be played repeatedly.
Sleeping On The Attic Floor get its official release today via the fine folks at R.I.’s Tor Johnson Records and Boston based Midnight Werewolf Records. Twin Foxes will be out on the road to celebrate the album release with upcoming shows in Western, MA, New Hampshire, Worcester, and Cambridge. Check the bands tour page for details.
[Stream/Buy] Twin Foxes – Sleeping On The Attic Floor