Three Legged Fox – Always Anyway
Track Listing:
1. Get Out Alive
2. Half Filled Boxes
3. Let You Down
4. Sweet Hurricane
5. Wait For You
6. Right Side
7. Grace [Here With you]
8. Hello Vertigo
9. Run For Your Life
10. High Time For Arrival
11. Comin’ Back For You
12. Finally
The Pier Album Rating:
Release Date: Aug 16th, 2011
Official Website: Three Legged Fox Website
Group Background:
In 2006, Three Legged Fox officially formed in the midst of Delaware University’s Battle of the Bands competition. There they quickly compiled a few original songs and indeed went on to win the competition. After that, 3LF became a lasting fixture in the eastern rock scene. On top of recording three original studio albums, 3LF has performed at over 350 shows supporting a sizeable list of some of the most popular reggae and rock bands in America.
Always Anyway is their 3rd studio album which is set to release in Mid-August of 2011 after gaining plenty of recognition with their preceding release of Not As Far in 2009. They have established themselves as an alternative/reggae rock band with their past discography. The new album is told to be formatted in a rock structure with reggae in the mix. According to 3LF, Always Anyway serves as their “hello to the world”, more than any past release. They’ve dedicated over a year and a half to writing and recording it, and they did it exactly the way they wanted to.
Album Review:
Always Anyway can be described with one expansive word; tension. The feelings that encrypt 3LF’s most up-to-date musical entitlement are of an uplifting, adrenaline-filled tension, as well as the exact opposite. Some songs deviate from this tension into an unperturbed progression of warm melodies. 3LF has a style that is hardly duplicable or currently duplicated by anyone in the enormous world of musicians. Some have a tough time creating their own personality; some even try to coincide within in a certain category. But the Pennsylvania foursome has in fact merged various fundamentals of modern alternative rock, acoustic, and reggae into their flourishing project 3LF. When I hear Three Legged Fox, it is unmistakably Three Legged Fox.
The most distinguishable aspect of this album is the blend of lead-singer Kyle Wareham’s hearty voice with characteristics of alternative rock. Through these means Three Legged Fox exhibits an at-home feeling upon my ears and conscience. Wareham’s voice does not seem like he forces out anything unless he is purposefully accenting a line or chorus to match the energy level. In the album opener Get out Alive, at certain points you will notice he more or less pushes the words out instead of singing in his usual manner. The song seems to be in a dark mood, due to the distorted power chords on the guitar. With an offbeat keyboard progression and without the emotion and emphasis of the vocals, the song would surely be less emotional.
Let You Down is the featured single on Always Anyway. Lyrically, Wareham is singing to a lover about the hardships of life, but let’s her know that he will be there as the title suggests. From start to finish, the instrumental aspects are clean. It sounds like an acoustic guitar compliments the skank rhythm of the keyboard during the verses. The back-up vocals fashioned a super harmony during the chorus as they sang “Did you think for a minute I would let you down?”
My favorite song Hello Vertigo, contains many layers that are welded together flawlessly. The combination of distorted guitar riffs and an echoic skanky rhythm really captures the essence of Three Legged Fox’s position in the musical realm. This feeling of dizziness is caused by the lack of something in his life. Wareham goes on to wonder whether he and a love can make amends; how willing he is to change in order to return to how life was in the past. Sweet Hurricane is similar in structure and I love the rhythm. You will hear an acoustic at random points throughout, and the strumming pattern alone adds a layer that sincerely benefits the drumming rhythm.
Everything is wonderfully detailed, sometimes even too much. For instance the verses in Finally gave me a headache because of the constant ringing of the guitar or keyboards. Besides a few supplemental riffs, the concluding song contained one of the only identifiable solos throughout the album, and it is sung over. It basically draws attention away from the guitar work which in my opinion should be gratified.
This is 3LF’s best album in my opinion. Not too many musicians have ventured off in the direction they have and it is turned out to be a huge advantage for them.
Written & Reviewed by: Matt Emodi
[Editors Note: All reviews are reflective of the album in it’s entirety, from start to finish. These reviews are the honest opinion of each writer/reviewer, expressing their feedback as a genuine fan of the music. Each star rating reflects their review of the album, not the band. Music is subjective. Regardless of the review or star rating, we encourage you to listen to the music yourself & form your own opinion. Spread the awareness of all music in its art & contribution]