Album Review: Foxygen, Seeing Other People

Avant-pop duo Foxygen have been creating experimental sounds since 2005. Their latest record strips away the elaborate nature of past works. The focus here is on developing their lyrics to convey an honesty and vulnerability we hadn’t yet seen from Rado and France. Seeing Other People follows the path of any break-up album, exploring tension and resentment until the record reaches a place of acceptance.

France’s words are by turns embittered and existential, though offset by Rado’s upbeat, ’80s-style backing tracks. On ‘The Thing Is’, the singer candidly delves into feelings of loneliness, yet the track in its entirety makes you want to jump around. It’s a fascinating juxtaposition.

While Seeing 0ther People aims to evoke feelings of nostalgia, it is at times a bit too derivative. Even allowing for that, the clever lyrics – almost meta at times – are always compelling. As Foxygen’s final album for Jagjaguwar, this acerbic effort ensures they depart on a high.

6.5/10

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