Phillip Fox Band
Heartland
New Damn Book
2014
“Heartland” is the debut album of country rock quartet Phillip Fox Band, and it sounds exactly how you’d think a debut album of country rock act would sound like. Yes, it’s a fun record and yes, it goes down pretty smoothly no matter what mood you’re in. But is it a great album? Regrettably, the answer is no. “Heartland” sounds as original as its title. You don’t know where, you don’t know when, but you know you’ve heard it before.
Of course, there’s “Nothin Worse than Weak”, with its trumpets and its spaghetti western vibe, which may not be what you would call “original”, but it does bring something vaguely new to an otherwise tired equation. My personal favourite is “I’d Be Runnin Too” because it’s basically the only track here which leans more towards hard rock and less on the country rock end of the scale. As for the track that lends its name to the whole album, well “Heartland” has nothing more or less to offer than the majority of tracks here: fun-loving, easy-going and easy-listening with a hint of a redneck twist. Finally, there’s “I Ain’t Angry” the last track on the record which I guess was aimed to be an eight and a half minute opus. Truth is that, to my ears, it sounds like eight and a half minutes of redundancy.
What I consider the biggest negative aspect in Phillip Fox Band is Phillip Fox himself. To my ears his voice sounds generic. More than once I had high hopes at the beginning of a track, but lost all interest when the vocals kicked in.
Of course, there’s “Nothin Worse than Weak”, with its trumpets and its spaghetti western vibe, which may not be what you would call “original”, but it does bring something vaguely new to an otherwise tired equation. My personal favourite is “I’d Be Runnin Too” because it’s basically the only track here which leans more towards hard rock and less on the country rock end of the scale. As for the track that lends its name to the whole album, well “Heartland” has nothing more or less to offer than the majority of tracks here: fun-loving, easy-going and easy-listening with a hint of a redneck twist. Finally, there’s “I Ain’t Angry” the last track on the record which I guess was aimed to be an eight and a half minute opus. Truth is that, to my ears, it sounds like eight and a half minutes of redundancy.
What I consider the biggest negative aspect in Phillip Fox Band is Phillip Fox himself. To my ears his voice sounds generic. More than once I had high hopes at the beginning of a track, but lost all interest when the vocals kicked in.