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West Virginian show stoppers, The Fox Hunt play a wild and raucous brand of American roots music that’s more akin to good old rock ‘n’ roll from the early days when Hank was hungry and living out of a suitcase.
But there’s a tender heart right at the very core of things as well, so blow-your-socks-off impressive that the quieter moments have been known to silence rowdy bars of punks and drunks.
That they can rock the joint is not in dispute…But when they turn on the a cappella charm, the magic created is jaw-dropping good.
The songs are down-to-earth honest, delivered with such unbridled passion that these four young hot shots cause quite commotion whenever they blow into town.
The instrumentation is uncomplicated but used to maximum effect and the playing nailed every time.
Singer/songwriter and guitarist John R. Miller contributes tales of triumph over adversity and the failures and anxieties that exist in the hearts of human beings. Themes of defeat, loss, and missed opportunity abound in the apathetic wonderland created, but by championing the underdog, they engender self-worth and inter-connect us in all of our shortcomings.
Bass player Matt Kline, the band’s other main creative force, has a writing style while at times bleak, that involves characters who are optimistic and hopeful, and whether dealing with topics such as hard drinking and abandonment, always introduces an insightful tinge of irony and wit.
Matthew Metz and Ben Townsend, whose musical influences range from stringbands of the early days to indie, DIY punk and all-out rock, play mandolin, banjo, and fiddle and are equally at home whether it’s a trad-style or more contemporary song that’s demanding their multi-talented attentions.
When all four sing, the harmonies add a gloriously well-rounded sparkle that many attempt and only the greats pull off.
A debut album, Nowhere Bound, has won them legions of fans far beyond the precincts of Harper’s Ferry and Martinsburg where they grew up. Think Old Crow Medicine Show with Brass Knobs on. |
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