Written by Julieta Vega
Hailing from Central Jersey, shoegaze band Fox Teeth have finally released their debut album, “Tite!” The indie trio has already released a few singles from the album; “Donnie Darko”, “Yellow Houses”, and, most recently, “Voicemail.”
For that last single, they took a more unique route for promotion, setting up a toll-free phone number to share a snippet of the song as well as the announcement of the record when fans would dial it up. Vocalist Jade Rich, bassist Reynold Beaton, and drummer Andrew Romanoski each brought their A-game to “Tite!”, filling the album with impressive melodies, sentimental lyrics, and super catchy tracks.
“Tite!” opens with a soft, smooth beginning on the first track, “The Intro.” It transitions perfectly into the following song, “Photograph”, which is super strong lyrically, focused on loneliness and wanting to find love again.
The next track, “Donnie Darko”, follows a pattern of emotions much like that of “Photograph.” The lines “It swallows me whole / And now I know / Every creature on earth will die alone” speak volumes of agony.
“Yellow Houses” explores some more deep emotions, opening with, “I run my hands through the grass / Because I can’t run them through your hair / It hurts to know you're gone / It hurts to know you're not here.” Vocalist Jade Rich's aching, passionate delivery takes center stage on “Voicemail.” A stand-out line here is, “I know that you'll never hear this message / But I'm screaming out your name / Do you feel the same?”
“Lost” includes a consistent guitar tune while also having strong vocals, combining for an overall heartfelt feel. Up next is “School Friends”, a cover of a song originally sung by the indie-rock group Now, Now. The consistent guitar blends with the piano melody for a true highlight of this record.
“Sad Song” is the last song to feature vocals on the album and contributes an emo-influenced acoustic track to “Tite!” The middle chorus of the track transitions into a somewhat heavier tone, with screaming vocals and loud guitars.
“Tite!” ends with “The End”, completing the acronym in the record's title; The Intro, The End. It even includes a sample from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood!
All in all, Fox Teeth released a powerful and heartfelt debut album that displays their distinctive sound and talent. Deep, emotional lyrics combine with unique sonic elements for a really strong record all-around.
"Tite!" is available for streaming wherever you listen to music, and you can support the band by following them on Twitter @FoxTeethNJ and picking up some merch. Be sure to let us know what you think after you listen by tweeting us @lgndsoftmrw!