Foxing

Known for a theatrical style of introspective indie rock, Foxing brought together active members of the St. Louis, Missouri music scene in the early 2010s. With backgrounds that included post-rock, emo, and math rock bands, they expanded upon guitar-oriented fare with orchestral instruments beginning with their full-length debut, 2013's The Albatross.

Led by singer Conor Murphy, Foxing formed in 2011 after the dissolution of Hunter Gatherer, a post-rock project that had common members including bass player Josh Coll and drummer Jon Hellwig. Foxing issued an EP titled Old Songs in 2012. Their debut LP, The Albatross, arrived in 2013 on indie label Count Your Lucky Stars Records, and had strings, saxophones, and brass fleshing out their lush guitar palette. The lineup of Murphy, Coll, Hellwig, and guitarists Eric Hudson and Ricky Sampson soon signed with Triple Crown Records, which released the band's second full-length, the similarly expansive Dealer, in October 2015.

In 2017, Coll left the group to focus on filmmaking, and Murphy released a self-titled album under the solo moniker Smidley. With producer Chris Walla on board, the group reconvened as a four-piece for its third album, Nearer My God, also issued by Triple Crown. ~ Marcy Donelson, Rovi

Now, Now

When the world last heard from Brad Hale and KC Dalager of Now, Now, they had, on the strength of their well received 2012 LP Threads, made their late night TV debut with Jimmy Fallon and tour incessantly with bands including Fun., Bob Mould, Naked & Famous among others. Despite the success and acclamation earned up to that point, when it came time to begin work on a follow up album, self-doubt set in followed by a crippling writer's block. Following a few years of frustration and introspection, the ice began to crack while tracking the single “SGL”.

“I know it’s been a long road,” says KC, “but I wouldn’t change any part of it. If we had put an album out right after Threads, we wouldn’t have gone through that period of self-discovery. I think we might have made an album that was timid and vague and unchallenging.” Boasting the most direct songwriting and transparent lyrics the band have ever written by a mile, Saved is anything but “timid and vague” .

The pair returned to their writing and recording roots for Saved, recording all but one song in their basements together, just as they had back in high school. The only people who know the full extent of the meaning behind the title Saved are Brad and KC, but it’s clear to see salvation for them, at least in part, involved escaping the constraints of their own hangups and insecurities. All so that they might be free to grow into the people and artists we see and hear today on their new album, Saved.