All-Night Fox [LP] by Howling Hex (Vinyl, Dec-2013, Drag City Rec

$

24

Exigence is in.

Hagerty and crew realize the imperfection and deliver with urgency.

Now in twin-grooved LP format, for both sides of your brain!

Album Notes:

Seems like Neil Hagerty has taken the name Howling Hex and run with it: not only is that the title of one of his best solo albums, it’s now the moniker for another phase of his post-Royal Trux career. After a trio of vinyl-only releases limited to 500 copies, Howling Hex makes its CD debut with the excellently named All-Night Fox. After hearing this album, those who slept on the band’s earlier work will be able to see why die-hard Hagerty fans snapped up those albums so quickly: All-Night Fox is some of his most audacious, entertaining music in a while. The album’s fuzzed-out blues-rock is both more immediate and more unhinged than much of his Neil Michael Hagerty solo work, and though it’s seemingly simple, with almost stupidly catchy basslines and wiry, Southern-fried guitar licks that are too tightly-wound to be wanky, it’s far from straightforward.

As on some of Howling Hex’s earlier albums, Hagerty is joined by an uncredited female singer who adds a very different sound, and feeling, to his music. Her pretty voice and detached style of singing make lyrics like “Dangerous enough/Red, white, black and blue” sound even stranger and more subversive than when Hagerty sings them by himself. He exploits the contrast between their voices, cloaking the woman’s voice in different layers of reverb that give songs such as “Now We’re Gonna Sing” and “Instilled With Mem’ry” an underlying trippiness. This hypnotic quality extends to the whole album; its circular guitar riffs and the variations on themes from song to song make it loopy in both senses of the word, but this doesn’t make All-Night Fox any less enjoyable. Things slow down a bit with the shuffling “To His Own Front Door” and “What Man? Who Are You?!”, which is kind of a relief since the album gets off to such a relentless start.

Howling Hex’s mini-album approach seems to suit Hagerty well; whether it’s a spin-off from his main solo work or the next phase of it, as All-Night Fox shows, it brings out the weirdest, catchiest aspects of his music. Review by Heather Phares (allmusic.com)

Personnel:

Neil Michael Hagerty: vocals, lead guitar

July McClure: vocals, bass guitar

Lynn Madison: vocals, drums

Pete Denton: rhythm guitar

Track List:

1. Now, We’re Gonna Sing   [3:36]
2. Instilled With Mem’ry    [4:26]
3. Pair Back Up Mass With    [3:57]
4. Activity Risks    [5:06]
5. To His Own Front Door    [4:59]
6. What, Man? Who Are You?!    [7:15]
7. Cast Aside the False    [2:10]
8. Soft Enfolding Spreads    [3:58]

The All-Night Fox [LP] by Howling Hex is factory-sealed new. It has never been played and has always been kept in its original packaging. The LP is not a promo or cutout. There are no marks or punches of any kind. All our CDs and vinyl are new! If you have any questions or want to see additional photos, just email us.

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