John Foxx
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Album Remasters - John Foxx Album Review
Album Review
Ultravox were a much derided and admired band in equal measure back in the early to mid 80's. However, during the late 70's they commanded an austere and angst-ridden air with classic electro-punk songs such as "Young Savage", "Rockwrock" and "I Want To Be A Machine", cleverly spat out by John Foxx. After 3 albums, Foxx split and proceeded to record several solo albums of differing fortunes. The first album, "Metamatic", has already had its re-issue unleashed and clearly there is room for the remaining 3 vocal albums originally released by Virgin between 1981 and 1985.
The Garden
Where "Metamatic" embraced the machines that Foxx was so in love with, follow-up "The Garden" brought guitars back into the mix a la later Ultravox material. One track gives a nod to said bands output in "Systems Of Romance" with it's trademark scratchy guitar and choral synths. This formula is repeated on other tracks but its the more subtle pieces that really weave this album together. The enormously gothic title track, replete with bird-song samples and filmic passages, demonstrates how quickly Foxx had matured since the 1st hit single "Underpass". "Night Suit" struts with sinister aplomb - atmospheres courtesy of i-Level's Duncan Bridgeman and Jo Dworniak - whilst his last Top Of The Pops appearance came from "Europe After The Rain", a splendid piano-driven synthpop romp through his usual 'glistening gardens wet with rain' lyrical landscapes. The extra disc includes all 4 "Swimmer" tracks and a welter of rare high-standard songs including the much under-rated single, "Miles Away" - possibly his peak-period in one 3-minute burst.
Rating: 4/5
The Golden Section
"The Golden Section" took Foxx on a journey that was to be centred around his influences from the past including The Beatles. But to dismiss this as a Lennon-by-numbers plunder would be an injustice. It is Foxx's most balanced album although nowhere near the influential level set by "Metamatic". The producer Zeus B Held was drafted in to polish up the rough edges and add a dynamism missing from "The Garden". Just about any song on this collection would have made a decent single although just 3 were released in the end. "Endlessly" - 3 versions here - was his best chance of that elusive radio hit but the version here was not a patch on the surreal original version released a year earlier. In fact the extra disc is so chock full of non-album contenders it seems criminal that Virgin didn't release it as a double. The real standout is the closing song, "Twilight's Last Gleaming". Foxx could sing like a choirboy (later material would centre itself around church music) and create some quite gorgeous music when he wanted to and none more so than this sedate piece. The extra disc is rammed with 16 more rarities including one song that should have had it's own A-side release, "A Kind Of Wave".
Rating: 4.5/5
In Mysterious Ways
If you were thinking that Foxx's fortunes were changing then you would be right. His last album for Virgin, "In Mysterious Ways" was to be his creative low-point. Sure, there are some fine songs on here but the finished running order and vinyl quality ensured that many copies either stayed on the racks of record shops or were purchased and immediately returned due to the shoddy pressing. This state of affairs is now corrected with a sympathetic remaster that shuffles the running order to include "Spin Away" instead of the clumsy "This Side Of Paradise" (now on the bonus disc) and an extra disc of 8 further related tracks from this period. Although the album has its fans, "In Mysterious Ways" lacked a decisive edge and plundered Drake, Morrison and McCartney on too many occasions to ever really strengthen the claims that Foxx was influential. "Shine On" should definitely have been a single though - sublime melodies and vocals with a simplistic arrangement. Instead the rather cumbersome "Stars On Fire" led the promotion - and failed to chart. Still, the CD is a worthy addition to anyone interested in this enigmatic figure from the creative half of the 80's decade.
Rating: 3/5
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