“Keep myself from going under, it’s the only place I know.”
Moxy the Band is what I didn’t know I needed this year. They consist of vocalist Amber DeLaRosa, Michael Franzino (A Lot Like Birds, Sianvar) and Dryw Owens out of their home base of Sacramento, California. Back in May, seemingly out of nowhere, they dropped their first taste of what was to come via the single “The Cost”. This synth driven track was both slow and emotional. The pop styled drums guided the synth elements perfectly, and Amber’s performance was stellar. They even had the uber talented Yvette Young (Covet) contribute on piano. I immediately yearned for more and was excited at the prospect of a full length this year. Thankfully, we’re getting just that with Moxy the Band’s debut album, Dream Feeling.
The album opens with what was another single in “Pawns”. I’ve played this song a lot since it came out and for good reason. There are so many moving parts on the production front that I can’t even go through it in this review. Just listen and listen closely and you will see how meticulously these soundscapes are crafted. I’m in love with Amber’s vocal performance on this one too. There’s a verse that is enchanting and soothing, and another that is cocky and braggadocios. The synth erupts towards the end in an epic finish. I must add points for the off-meta song structure as well.
“You Feel it Too” on the other hand, almost feels like a long interlude. The instrumental never settles on an idea, or really gets exciting, and Amber’s topline is unusually stuck in one tempo. Perhaps the track’s awkward nature is intentional, as the climax feels experimental still, yet the additional grandiose aspect to it does make it more interesting.
“Live Without” and “The Feeling of Letting Go” are great examples of the 80s disco nature that a lot of these tracks have. The bass guitar slaps are doing a lot of heavy lifting – they’re just that good. And combined with the disco aesthetic, you get a big reason of what makes Moxy the Band stand out and worth listening to. There’s also a male vocal addition on “Live Without” that does feel refreshing, however that doesn’t save it from being one of the tracks I’m a bit cold on.
“All that Could Happen” is just one of the best love songs ever… full stop. It captures that deep feeling one has while in love, combined with the hopelessness of a love lost. And the band are professionals because they get some sax laid down on it, and what’s a love song with some saxophone? The juxtaposition of the soft nature of Amber’s final chorus/outro ends it on a melancholic note, which, to me, makes a subtle statement on how one should consider the song overall.
“Ruining the Party” is one of my favorite tracks. This sounds like if Michael Bay directed a Taylor Swift music video. Amber deserves an award for this track solely as she evokes so many different emotions across the long 5-minute run time. Therein lies my only small gripe with the track. I think it peaks early, and could have had the ending restructured a bit because of that, but it is still a musically amazing song that leaves a huge impact.
The album slows down towards the end with both “Overgrown” and “Guidance Counselor”. The former starts out with one of the better utilizations of synth I’ve heard in recent memory. This is the break-up twin to the love song of “All that Could Happen” though it isn’t quite as strong. Still, we get another great performance by Amber, and the bass, synth and guitar contributions consistently lure the listener in. I suspect Michael Franzino is largely the master mind behind a lot of how these songs come together, and I’m not surprised. I’m a big fan of A Lot Like Birds’ last album Divisi, and I recognize a lot of seeds there that would eventually bloom into concepts on Dream Feeling. The two albums occupy a lot of the same space within me emotionally, and Franzino is a big reason why.
But anyway, closer “Guidance Counselor” unfortunately seems like more of a cap on the record as a whole, than a separate piece of it itself. That is certainly a route that a lot of bands go, but I think I prefer tracks that can stand by themselves as a great listen. I do like how Amber sings “it’s time to start again” as it does make listening to the album back-to-back have a bit of continuity.
No matter how you look at it, Dream Feeling is a special listen. It’s unlike anything else you’ll listen to this year, and that by itself makes it worth checking out. I still think the group has room to grow too, which is of course exciting as well. As evident by their Indiegogo campaign, the trio put everything they had into this debut, and it largely shows. For that, and the sensational tunes, check out Dream Feeling when it drops this coming Friday.
8.5/10
Dream Feeling is out this Friday via self-release, and you can pre-order the album here.