It would be easy to dismiss Cincinnati's FOXY SHAZAM as another teenybopper Victory Records-style pop/punk band, garnishing the proceedings with piano bits a la QUEEN's "Under Pressure". But truthfully, this band has a bit more to offer than most of it's contemporaries.

It's quite refreshing to discover a pop band that actually has a sense of humor in this age of artistes "reeling from decimated dreams" that would "rather feel pain than nothing at all." For example, "Introducing" is actually FOXY SHAZAM's second album, which is kinda funny. Plus, this album actually sounds like real honest-to-god party music. Eric Sean Nally's syllable-sputtering methodology moves from Jagger hiccup 'n swagger to a piercing hardcore wail in the blink of an eye. Sure, the 'countdown' portion of "The Rocketeer" recalls some of MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE's chafing whine, but other tracks like the chirpy "Red Cape Diver", or the rompin' stompin' piano cavalcades of "Yes Yes Yes" and "Ghost Animals" are just too jaunty and fun for the mainstream. The final track "Cool" sounds like Roy Thomas Baker producing the Axel Foley theme in a Tim Burton movie. That alone is fodder for curiosity.

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/foxyshazam

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