I'm Not Well

Last updated

I'm Not Well
I'm Not Well cover.jpg
Studio album by
Black Foxxes
Released19 August 2016
Label Spinefarm Records/Search And Destroy Records
Producer Adrian Bushby
Black Foxxes chronology
Pines
(2014)
I'm Not Well
(2016)
Reiði
(2018)
Singles from I'm Not Well
  1. "Husk"
    Released: 23 March 2016
  2. "I'm Not Well"
    Released: 17 May 2016
  3. "Whatever Lets You Cope"
    Released: 2 August 2016
  4. "How We Rust"
    Released: 28 October 2016

I'm Not Well is the first full-length studio album by English indie rock band Black Foxxes. It was released on 19 August 2016 through Spinefarm Records/Search And Destroy Records and it was produced by Adrian Bushby. The artwork was created by Daniel P. Carter, and it received a nomination at Heavy Music Awards in 2017 for Best Album Artwork. [1]

Contents

Background and recording

I'm Not Well was recorded between Assault & Battery Studios in London and Devon’s Middle Farm. [2]

Musical style and lyrics

The record has been described as raw, dark and brutally honest, with echoes of Biffy Clyro [3] and Placebo. I'm Not Well includes the tracks previously released in the EP Pines.

The album lyrics - particularly, the title track - reflect Mark Holley's personal experiences and feelings, and the struggles of living with Crohn's disease and anxiety. He declared: "I wanted to focus on all the issues I was going through on the lead up to that album. I had only recently been diagnosed with having extreme anxiety and I was struggling massively to cope day to day. Opening up and talking about it and seeing others were going through the same things was the differential I needed to be able to get through it all." [4]

"Bronte" is about the first time Holley went into treatment for Crohn's disease, while "Whatever Lets You Cope" is about drug addiction, as he explained. "I was on holiday with my girlfriend in a beautiful, tranquil part of the world, in Wales. And as I went out for a peaceful coastal walk, I saw this lady collapsing on a bench. As I walked past, I discovered a used needle, bottle of vodka and a belt tied round her arm (...) Drug addiction is such a cruel affliction, and to see this lady slumped over, needle having just been used with the backdrop of sheer nirvana it makes you realize sometimes people just need that release. I’ll never forget that moment." [5]

Release and promotion

On 23 March 2016, Black Foxxes released a first single, 'Husk", and a corresponding video directed by Daniel Broadley. [6]

On 17 May 2016, the single "I'm Not Well" was released, along with a music video. [7]

On 2 August 2016, they revealed a third single, "Whatever Lets You Cope", and a video as well. [8]

On 28 October 2016, a fourth single was announced, "How We Rust". [9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 82/100 [10]
Review scores
SourceRating
Dead Press!Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Drowned In Sound10/10 [12]
Louder SoundStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Rocksound6/10 [14]

The album received generally positive reviews: the critics admired the maturity and honesty of the contents, and the release has been defined "an intimate and introspective release (...) an outpour of palpable emotion that listeners can relate to and feel all the better for finding." [15] It was appreciated also how Black Foxxes managed to distinguish themselves from the mainstream alternative music scene, with "searing vocals, delicate and cracking with emotion one minute and screaming the next. Dynamic and layered guitar parts and a strong rhythm section." [16]

At the same time, it has been largely noted how the lyrics and dark sound contributed to create "a mud-ride of delicate depression-pop" [17] reminiscent of emo and grunge. The band liked this definition and ended up describing their music as depression-pop. [5]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."I'm Not Well"3:51
2."Husk"2:38
3."Whatever Lets You Cope"3:56
4."How We Rust"4:04
5."River"5:12
6."Maple Summer"4:38
7."Bronte"4:05
8."Waking Up"3:18
9."Home"2:43
10."Slow Jams Forever"4:07
11."Pines"5:04
Total length:43:00

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pixies (band)</span> American alternative rock band

The Pixies are an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts formed in 1986 by Black Francis, Joey Santiago, Kim Deal and David Lovering (drums). The pop sound influenced acts such as Nirvana, Radiohead, the Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soundgarden</span> American rock band

Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially by Scott Sundquist, and later by Matt Cameron in 1986. Yamamoto left in 1989 and was replaced initially by Jason Everman and shortly thereafter by Ben Shepherd. The band dissolved in 1997 and reformed in 2010. Following Cornell's death in 2017, Thayil declared in October 2018 that Soundgarden would not continue, though they did reunite in January 2019 for a one-off concert in tribute to Cornell. Cornell and Thayil were the only members to appear on every album by the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ace Frehley</span> American musician (born 1951)

Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician who was the original lead guitarist, occasional lead vocalist and founding member of the rock band Kiss. He invented the persona of The Spaceman and played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982. After leaving Kiss, Frehley formed his own band named Frehley's Comet and released two albums with the group. He subsequently embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Moore</span> Northern Irish musician (1952–2011)

Robert William Gary Moore was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career, he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz fusion.

<i>Zen Arcade</i> 1984 studio album by Hüsker Dü

Zen Arcade is the second studio album by American punk rock band Hüsker Dü, released in July 1984 on SST Records. Originally released as a double album on two vinyl LPs, Zen Arcade tells the story of a young boy who runs away from an unfulfilling home life, only to find the world outside is even worse. Zen Arcade and subsequent Hüsker Dü albums were instrumental in the creation of the alternative rock genre, and it is considered by some to be one of the greatest rock albums of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Mould</span> American musician

Robert Arthur Mould is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hüsker Dü</span> American punk rock band

Hüsker Dü was an American punk rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continuous members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. They first gained notability as a hardcore punk band, and later crossed over into alternative rock. Mould and Hart were the band's principal songwriters, with Hart's higher-pitched vocals and Mould's baritone taking the lead in alternating songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Mars</span> American musician (born 1951)

Robert Alan Deal, known professionally as Mick Mars, is an American musician best known as the former lead guitarist and co-founder of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. He is known for his aggressive, melodic solos and bluesy riffs.

<i>Rust Never Sleeps</i> 1979 studio album with live recordings by Neil Young with Crazy Horse

Rust Never Sleeps is the tenth album by Canadian American singer-songwriter Neil Young and his third with American band Crazy Horse. It was released on June 22, 1979, by Reprise Records and features both studio and live tracks. Most of the album was recorded live, then overdubbed in the studio, while others originated in the studio. Young used the phrase "rust never sleeps" as a concept for his tour with Crazy Horse to avoid artistic complacency and try more progressive, theatrical approaches to performing live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arctic Monkeys</span> English rock band

Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 2002. The group consists of lead singer Alex Turner, drummer Matt Helders, guitarist Jamie Cook and bassist Nick O'Malley. Former bassist Andy Nicholson left the band in 2006 shortly after their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, was released.

"Tornado of Souls" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on their 1990 studio album Rust in Peace. Despite never being released as a single nor having any promotion surrounding it, the song remains a staple of the band's discography. The song is well-known for its distinctive guitar solo played by Marty Friedman, which is regarded as one of the greatest metal guitar solos of all time. It is also widely considered to be one of the hardest songs to play on guitar.

<i>Live Rust</i> 1979 live album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Live Rust is a live album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, recorded during their fall 1978 Rust Never Sleeps tour.

<i>Black Monk Time</i> 1966 studio album by Monks

Black Monk Time is the only studio album by German-based American garage rock band The Monks, released in March 1966 through Polydor Records. The album's subversive style and blunt lyrical content were radical for its time, and today it is considered an important landmark in the development of punk rock.

<i>Ferment</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Catherine Wheel

Ferment is the debut studio album by English alternative rock band Catherine Wheel, released in 1992 by Fontana Records. Produced by Tim Friese-Greene and John Lee, the album combined aspects of shoegazing, alternative rock and neo psychedelia. Ferment is the only album to contain the neo psychedelia element of the band's discography. Their next album, Chrome, produced with famed alternative rock producer Gil Norton, shifted the musical direction of the band. While Ferment was originally not all that successful in the charts, the album continues to be well received by critics and fans, even 30 years after its release.

<i>Jumping All Over the World</i> 2007 studio album by Scooter

Jumping All Over the World is the thirteenth studio album by German techno group Scooter, released in Germany in 2007. Five singles have been released from it: "The Question Is What Is the Question?", "And No Matches", "Jumping All Over the World", a remix of "I'm Lonely" and a new version of "Jump That Rock!" titled "Jump That Rock " recorded with British rock group Status Quo. The album's original artwork features people performing Jumpstyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delicate Steve</span> Musical artist

Delicate Steve is the stage name of musician Steve Marion, an American multi-instrumentalist who leads the band of the same name. Delicate Steve's sound has been described as hand-crafted with elements of progressive rock, folksy twang, African rhythms, surf rock and 1970s pop. Marion has collaborated with a wide range of artists in a variety of styles and genres, performing live and recording in-studio with artists such as The Black Keys, Paul Simon, Amen Dunes, Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala, and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camp Cope</span> Australian punk rock group

Camp Cope were an Australian alternative rock band formed in 2015 in Melbourne, Victoria. The group's lineup consisted of lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Georgia "Georgia Maq" McDonald, bassist Kelly-Dawn "Kelso" Hellmrich, and drummer Sarah "Thomo" Thompson. The band were signed with independent Melbourne label Poison City Records, where Thompson also works, and independent Boston label Run for Cover Records distributed their releases in North America and Europe. In February 2023, Camp Cope announced their imminent disbandment with a series of final performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Foxxes</span> English indie rock band

Black Foxxes are an English indie rock band from Exeter, England. Formed in 2013, the band released a first EP, Pines, in 2014, before signing with Spinefarm Records/Search And Destroy Records the following year. In 2016 they released their debut album I’m Not Well, followed by Reiði in 2018.

<i>Reiði</i> 2018 studio album by Black Foxxes

Reiði is the second full-length studio album by English indie rock band Black Foxxes. It was released on 16 March 2018 through Spinefarm Records/Search And Destroy Records and was produced by Adrian Bushby. It was featured on Kerrang! as an Album Of The Week and was placed at #7 on Drowned in Sound's end-of-the-year 15 Favorite Albums of 2018 list.

<i>Black Foxxes</i> (album) 2020 studio album by Black Foxxes

Black Foxxes is the third studio album by British indie rock band, Black Foxxes. The album was released on 30 October 2020 through Spinefarm Records.

References

  1. "Heavy Music Awards 2017 Finalists Announced – Heavy Music Awards". Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  2. "On the Radar: Black Foxxes". charts.musicweek.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  3. Ewart, Alan (23 October 2016). "Black Foxxes: Power Rock Played Loud!". Louder Than War. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  4. "Interview: Black Foxxes | Interviews". Music Crowns. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Riot Fest Featured Artist: Black Foxxes". Best New Bands. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  6. Black Foxxes - HUSK , retrieved 4 September 2019
  7. Black Foxxes - I'm Not Well , retrieved 4 September 2019
  8. Black Foxxes - Whatever Lets You Cope , retrieved 4 September 2019
  9. Black Foxxes - How We Rust , retrieved 4 September 2019
  10. "I'm Not Well". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  11. "ALBUM: Black Foxxes – I'm Not Well". Dead Press!. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  12. "Black Foxxes – I'm Not Well". Drowned In Sound. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  13. "Black Foxxes - I'm Not Well album review/". Louder Sound. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  14. "Black Foxxes - I'm Not Well". Rocksound. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  15. "Black Foxxes – I'm Not Well | Album Review | Mosh". 8 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  16. "Black Foxxes - I'm Not Well". Echoes And Dust. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  17. Rock, Sleazegrinder 2016-08-03T13:17:00 215Z Classic (3 August 2016). "Black Foxxes - I'm Not Well album review". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 4 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)