Bands are making a comeback and with it we’re once again getting to see musical identities that are bigger than any one person. In the age where individual identities in music are getting more recognition, it exciting to see bands resurge back onto the surface. Fox In The Garden has been going at it since 2020, with the release of their debut EP ‘Sunny Boy’ and ‘Natural Habitat’ EP in 2023 and a single earlier this year from their new album. The band has always boasted a lush palette and with this album, that hasn’t changed. What has changed however is the writing, which has become more personal than their previous two EPs. Though the earlier two EPs were fun, this one peels back a few layers and exposes a more vulnerable side of the band.
Fox In The Garden has always crafted a rich sound for their work and with this album they’ve only taken it a couple of notches higher. Even compositionally, the band hasn’t pulled any punches. The production on the album is crispy, especially the snare. At the outset the album is more traditional than one might think. The songs follow a very regular structure, having very clear cut sections. But that isn’t a bad thing. It’s easy to follow both the music and narrative of the album. The band has also covered a far wider variety of moods and energies. ‘Doom In Bloom’ is Fox In The Garden’s coming of age album and they’ve arrived in style.
‘Thing I Feel’ opens the album, dawning a thick snare and and a bright guitar line. Soutrik Chakraborty, the vocalist, is sounding the best he’s ever sounded on record. The vocals have dimension and explore more expressive range than previous EPs. Guitars on this are very laid back, executing groove. Satyajit Chatterji and Utkarsh Jaiswal, who are both working together for the first time on record have established a very clear chemistry in terms of aesthetic. The focus is more on the songwriting and story for this one. The end of the song features a elevating choir section made up of Rounak Maiti, Suyasha Sengupta in addition to Karshni who features on backing vocals on nearly every song on the album. ‘Great Escape’ eagerly picks up the pace immediately with the entire band locked in on the instrumental. The track is sunny and celebrates love as an escape on difficult days. The writing is simple, but visual and is supported very well by the lush sounds of the band and backing vocals by Karshni. Once again both Utkarsh and Satyajit lace the track so gently and sweetly with guitar melodies. An example of this can be heard in the next song ‘Knees’, which released earlier this year as a single. Compared to the first two songs, the presence of the guitars on this one is more palpable.
In fact everything feels a little more juicy on this one. The drums feel light but each individual hit has bite. They aren’t aggressive or unnecessarily loud, instead, sleek. This song feels a lot more brisk, with sections changing into one another smoothly. ‘Passenger Princess’ is a song that is a little reminiscent of early Fox In The Garden. Both lyrically and compositionally, the song is easy going and talks about going to a beautiful destination, far removed from anything urban. By now it’s very noticeable that the album possesses a very old school vibe. Not just the sound but the spirit of the album. The song-writing and phrasing of Soutrik’s lyrics of the album recount a bygone era when lyrics were straightforward and meant exactly what they say – not every line having a hidden meaning or reference to something obtuse – and that’s so refreshing.
‘Doom In Bloom’ is the powerful title track of the lot. The mix is thick and perfect for when you’re frustrated with life and driving on the highway. The song packs a punch and illustrates the name perfectly. How a song can be about bad or uncertain times and still be such a banger. The song encapsulates a very late 2000s and early 2010s rock vibe. The performance of the song by Soutrik is passionate and is supported by Rono on harmonies. The guitar, bass and drums sound very glued together and the listener can really feel the project come together as a band. ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’ is a song for the namesake. The softest song on the album and my favourite composition. It’s bittersweet, filled with love and definitely feels like its coming from a very real place. The perfect song for a slow dance and as such fits perfectly before the last two songs. The flow of the album up till this point must be commended. There isn’t a single skip and the 8 songs actually feel like 8 different entities, showcasing a lot of variety.
‘State of the Bully’ is the penultimate track on the album and rightfully occupies that position. The song is a straight up rock tune talking in metaphors about a certain bully we all know. While there aren’t any direct references, I have a gut feeling we both are thinking of the same person. Opening with a smoky melodic intro by Karshni, the song wastes no time getting right into it and sets us up perfectly for the last track on the album. ‘The Bongs are Talking’ is possibly the bands most unhinged song to date. Apart from being deeply personal, the songs timing is almost perfect given the hate the community has been facing recently and has been subject to from time to time. The track features a screaming Soutrik, who never loses his calm behind the mic and this energy is reciprocated so perfectly by his band. Satyajit Chatterji especially, who shreds a ripping solo towards the end.
In a landscape that is filled hyper produced pop and other bleeding edge genres, Fox In The Garden has decided to slow things down considerably and go a more traditional route. A way they are more familiar with and a way they’ve grown up listening to. The album sets a good precedent for more bands to write music that doesn’t necessarily fit in the hyper modern bracket. A straightforward album with good songs and good parts. Solid.
Listen to & buy ‘Doom In Bloom’ on Bandcamp & Engage Music
Photographs by ‘Abhishek Gupta’
