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Phox Setlist
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Sadly, the PHOX hunt will be over shortly… at least for now.
After what seems like just yesterday when Baraboo, WI group PHOX was full of buzz, fresh from making a major splash at South by Southwest in Austin; the band decided on an indefinite hiatus last October, but not before a short farewell tour, which landed them at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis.
Friends and musical cohorts from Brooklyn/Philly (via Boston), Cuddle Magic opened the evening, a collective that plays simple yet complex alt-chamber pop, peppered with woodwinds, brass, and Casio keyboards. Think the experimental sounds of Talking Heads, Dirty Projectors and St. Vincent, and you’re in a similar wheelhouse and new album Ashes/Axis (northern Spy Records) just dropped at the end of last month.
A set highlight was when most of the six-piece moved into the center of the floor for a hushed and spare version of 2010’s ‘Expectations’, added pep into songs ‘Kiss Me’ and ‘Somebody’s Speaking for Me’, and played a couple of Bawa-music inspired newer songs, formed when the band’s Benjamin Davis was in Northwest Ghana with Lake Street Dive’s Bridget Kearney including the set-closing, album opening ‘Slow Rider’.
PHOX took to the stage after a brief set change, starting with 2014’s chilled, piano driven ‘Leisure’ from their one and only self-titled full length (on PTKF Records). A couple of the members of Cuddle Magic would join in sporadically and intermittently throughout their ninety-minute set, to help give some welcome and added body to the songs.
The band plays an often delicate blend of folk and pop, mixed with soul, rock and psych, and is anchored by the lilting vocals of singer Monica Martin. The first half of the set especially, seemed loose and friendly, almost like being present for a basement rehearsal, but the band would tighten things up, as they went.
Even the printed setlist was just a loose template, with the band adding a few additional songs in, along the way. ‘Evil’ had toe-tapping vocal harmonies, Martin laughed casually causing ‘Shrinking Violets’ to re-start as she described the tropical shirt she found backstage to wear, and ‘Slow Motion’ perhaps their best-known song, was done about halfway through.
Following that, Martin took the reins for a solo turn, which included ‘Liquor Cabinet’ a song done for the band’s own film, Amor Fati (available on YouTube) and songs with Cuddle Magic joining on the already crowded stage.
‘Laura’ built itself into a towering crescendo, followed by a pitch-perfect cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’. ‘Noble Heart’ enhanced by some clarinet and trumpet help from Cuddle Magic members, had a jagged, feedback-filled guitar break in the middle, before it returned to its chill form.
An Aaliyah cover further proved Martin’s dexterity as a vocalist and final song, ‘Espeon’ was written with Martin’s sister Bianca in mind. The song’s lyric, “And when our teeth fall out of our skulls, best believe I'll recall all the days of our youth” seems appropriate for a band taking an indefinite break.
In true quirky form, Martin’s last words to the crowd were “tip your bartenders, punch a Nazi” and knowing that they’re just over in nearby Wisconsin, hope we see PHOX again sometime, and sooner than later.
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Cuddle Magic |
Cuddle Magic |
Setlist |
PHOX |
PHOX |
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PHOX, with Cuddle Magic, at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (02 Feb 2017) |
