Mind the Fox
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2008 | SELF
Music
Press
Mind the Fox — Songs for the Needy
Joshua Boydston
September 26th, 2012
It’s taken four years since Mind the Fox’s formation for the Oklahoma City rock outfit to finally offer a full-length debut album, but from the sounds of Songs for the Needy, it’s been worth the wait.
The 11-track effort has the feel of a product made for and formulated in a dingy basement with dusty floral couches, shag carpet and tacky wood wall paneling … and I mean that in the best of ways.
It’s something of a time capsule uncovered from four or five decades back, neither updated nor refurbished in any way. Luckily, the band has the chops to pull it off.
There’s a difference between being inspired by Led Zeppelin and sounding like Led Zeppelin, and Mind the Fox is accomplished enough to fall into the latter, especially on opener “Libra Lowrider,” “Come Inside” and “She Said.” The group might be even better at playful ’60s pop, as evidenced by the bouncy “Sunshine” and “Contradicting Friend,” with obvious nods to The Beatles.
There’s a misstep or two (“Never Gone” is noticeably out-of-place with a skainspired guitar riff, if a good one), and it’s a tad disjointed, if charmingly so, jumping from psychedelic freak-out to soulful jam to swampy classic-rock groove, all tied together in that general ’70s haze. Luckily for Mind the Fox, that’s one era that never goes out of style.
Songs for the Needy is available as a name-your-price download at mindthefox.bandcamp.com. —Joshua Boydston - Oklahoma Gazette
Mind the Fox — Songs for the Needy
Joshua Boydston
September 26th, 2012
It’s taken four years since Mind the Fox’s formation for the Oklahoma City rock outfit to finally offer a full-length debut album, but from the sounds of Songs for the Needy, it’s been worth the wait.
The 11-track effort has the feel of a product made for and formulated in a dingy basement with dusty floral couches, shag carpet and tacky wood wall paneling … and I mean that in the best of ways.
It’s something of a time capsule uncovered from four or five decades back, neither updated nor refurbished in any way. Luckily, the band has the chops to pull it off.
There’s a difference between being inspired by Led Zeppelin and sounding like Led Zeppelin, and Mind the Fox is accomplished enough to fall into the latter, especially on opener “Libra Lowrider,” “Come Inside” and “She Said.” The group might be even better at playful ’60s pop, as evidenced by the bouncy “Sunshine” and “Contradicting Friend,” with obvious nods to The Beatles.
There’s a misstep or two (“Never Gone” is noticeably out-of-place with a skainspired guitar riff, if a good one), and it’s a tad disjointed, if charmingly so, jumping from psychedelic freak-out to soulful jam to swampy classic-rock groove, all tied together in that general ’70s haze. Luckily for Mind the Fox, that’s one era that never goes out of style.
Songs for the Needy is available as a name-your-price download at mindthefox.bandcamp.com. —Joshua Boydston - Oklahoma Gazette
Mind The Fox‘s motto is simple: “Life is ridiculous, and so is this band.” Accordingly, the Oklahoma City quartet doesn’t subscribe to a specific style or genre: Psychedelic grooves are nestled in garage-inspired funk, with intermediate touches of jazz and folk. This is a band that isn’t afraid to draw from heavier influences like Tool and Queens Of The Stone Age alongside inspirations like the Band and Led Zeppelin.
The fine fellows in Mind The Fox didn’t all meet at once. In 2008, when the band was still in its primordial stages, it was only vocalist/guitarist Zach White and percussionist Braden Jordison, jamming on a borrowed drum kit and a Crate practice amp. Keyboardist/guitarist John Paul French and bassist David Jewell joined in 2009 and 2011, respectively, filling out the roster. The dudes are united by a common set of ideas: Individuality creates originality, originality spawns creativity, creativity removes boundaries, and without boundaries there are endless possibilities. And this is inherent in tunes like “Contradicting Friend,” which breaks the boundaries separating blues, garage and psychedelia in a way Jim Morrison would have loved, as well as the ragga freakout of “Libra Lowrider.”
French’s voice, too, knows no boundaries. He’s got the vocal acrobatics of Robert Plant, mixed with the dry crackle of Jack White. Fans of classically inspired blues with modern sensibilities will want to give Mind The Fox a listen. And since the band’s debut LP, Songs For The Needy, is available for free download on Bandcamp, it’s easier than ever to add these guys to your summer rotation. - CMJ
Discography
Mind the Fox EP (2009)
Songs for the Needy (2012)
Photos
Bio
Zach White and Braden Jordison had been playing together for only a few months, when in late 2008 they noticed that their sounds were capable of spreading a little joy in a world that could use some creative motivation. Starting with nothing more than a borrowed drum kit and and a tiny amp, they've built their music around the notions that individuality creates originality, originality spawns creativity, creativity removes boundaries, and without boundaries there are millions of possibilities. It was then in late 2009, that they met JohnPaul French, who began playing keys, guitar, and harmonica. With these three musicians at the helm, Mind the Fox has grown into a well-seasoned rock experience, bringing a new Oklahoma sound to generous listeners of all ages, growing only more relevant with time.
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