Kindest of Thieves - The Taxidermist EP
The many incarnations of Chris Fox under the moniker ‘Kindest of Thieves’ continue unabated, from trio to solo artist to duo and now back to solo artist, albeit more as a one man band incorporating a kick drum into his live outings. Keeping up with Mr Fox is never the easiest, and neither is his music the easiest of listens. A dark underbelly is always present to a greater or lesser degree, usually highly successfully, although on occasion he can drift precariously into no man’s land, usually while experimenting with production.
One aspect generally present throughout has been a rockabilly element, even when experimenting with sounds and lyrical themes, which suggest recording in sado-masochistic dungeon environments. With his latest, ‘The Taxidermist’ EP, pre-cursor to a full length album, the rockabilly elements are distant if not totally absent, and are replaced with a ragtime feel to the three tracks. I know Chris to be a big fan of the 50’s, but here he harks back to the roaring 20’s. The chord tones have you wondering, is or isn’t a ukulele being played? Instead he filters a resonator guitar and the antique vocal sound is created with dynamic mics, even recording the whole of ‘Nurse’ through a harmonica mic, all to invoke a purer and rawer era of music making.
Lyrically, Fox is as deep and intense as ever. In ‘Marvellous Medicine’ he extols the virtues of “Trap me in your thighs and administer your kind medicine to me,” although a sense of real insecurity raises its head, further proclaiming, “Nobody’s touching my woman, nobody’s touching my will to live, cause I got none.” And here lies the essence of Kindest of Thieves, an ability to lay bare human fantasy and frailty of the most intense kind. I mentioned earlier, this not the easiest listen by any means, but definitely one of the most intriguing.
Musically, the jaunty melody of ‘Bugle Blare’ belies a deathly subject matter which a New Orleans funereal jazz interjection enhances ,while within ‘Nurse‘, stripping away the underlying surf guitar reveals a rather grim modern day George Formby, a reference Chris Fox likely not to be too troubled by. He’s very much a maverick, certainly on his home shores, happier to quote Fanny Bryce as an influence at this stage of his career rather than Blind Lemon Jefferson or Big Bill Broonzy.
So where next for Kindest of Thieves, perhaps Gothic Cajun or Black Country Metal, who knows, but wherever Chris lays his sonic hat, he’s sure to make it home and an invite to attend always more than welcome.
https://kindestofthieves.bandcamp.com/album/the-taxidermist-ep
https://www.facebook.com/kothieves
www.kindestofthieves.com
About the Author
Andy Barnes An avid music fan for far more years than he cares remember, and an avid gig goer since the age of fifteen. Of the three Sonic Bandwagon presenters, Andy exhibits the most varied taste. It’s certainly not uncommon for a diabolically dark piece of Black Metal to be swiftly followed by minimalist electro pop, a laid back piece of ambient jazz or even a full scale hoedown.
