Sunday at Foxwoods is the fourth studio album by American band Boys Like Girls. The album was released on October 20, 2023, by record label Fearless Records, being their album debut under this label.[1]

Background

Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, Martin Johnson was asked by bandmate John Keefe and former bandmate Paul DiGiovanni if he wanted to make another album.[2] Johnson agreed and they began writing songs, which he questioned "Who's it for?." He recalled, "It's easy to forget that there are people willing to sing your songs back to you."[2] During the making of Sunday at Foxwoods, DiGiovanni and bassist Morgan Dorr left the group and were replaced by Jamel Hawke and Gregory James.[3] The group performed at the 2022 When We Were Young festival, where they felt motivated to record another album.[2] It was recorded in Johnson's studio in Nashville, Tennessee.[2] The concept of the album deals with nostalgia, while committing to reinvention. The title of the album came from the area of Boston they grew up in.[2]

Composition

Sunday at Foxwoods was produced by Martin Johnson, Brandon Paddock and Danon Rector.[2] The album sees the group returning to their pop rock roots and departing from their country-tinged sound heard on their third studio album, Crazy World (2012).[1] Lyrically, the album is a tribute to the people who has made the band's journey possible. The opening song "Monday Morning" is a faced-paced track.[2] The song "Blood and Sugar" is described as an 80s' glam rock track.[4] An early demo of the track was recorded in 2020, which Keefe approved of and was released as the album's lead single.[5] The seventh track, "Cry" is a ballad song, which was written nine years prior and was recorded in six takes. The album also features the pop-punk leaning "The Outside", which was written in 2015,[6] and singalong "Brooklyn State of Mind".[2] The album's fifth track, "New Love" came about after Johnson heard a track being played by Ryland Blackinton, formerly of Cobra Starship. He sang a chorus along with the track and ended up recording it and started piecing lyrics together.[7]

Release

On May 19, 2023, the group released the album's lead single, "Blood and Sugar".[8] The album's second single, "Language" was released on June 23.[9] The band released "The Outside" on July 28, as the album's third single, along with premiering a music video for the song.[10] "Cry" was released as the album's fourth single on August 25.[11][12] The fifth and final single, "New Love" was released on September 22.[13] In support of the album, the grouop embarked on the Speaking Our Language Tour from September to November 2023, with support from State Champs on all dates, as well as Four Year Strong, 3OH!3, LØLØ, the Summer Set, the Ready Set, and Max Bemis on select dates.[14] On October 6, the group released a collaborative version of "The Outside", featuring 3OH!3, State Champs, the Summer Set and the Ready Set.[15]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[16]
Chorus.fmPositive[17]
New Noise Magazine[18]

Sunday at Foxwoods was met with positive reviews from music critics. Matt Collar of AllMusic stated, "All of these songs are also expertly rendered, mixing pounding club beats right next to searing rock-guitar riffs and sharp slices of day-glo keyboards. With Sunday at Foxwoods, Boys Like Girls have made an album of rise-to-the-occasion anthems that play like the soundtrack to their own coming-of-age movie."[16] Adam Grundy of Chorus.fm remarked, "While some fans may not like the brooding, mid-tempo, 80's feel of the sound they went for on this record, it just feels like the album they were destined to make given all the creative outlets and band member changes that went on. The remarkable thing about Boys Like Girls is that they took their hiatus to heart, grew and learned from it, and ultimately came back stronger than ever on Sunday At Foxwoods."[17] Kanan Nagel of New Noise Magazine noted how the band "developed a distinctive sound" and praised the group's maturity on the album.[18] The Soundboard Reviews stated, "Many of the songs on this record are sugar rushes that will sate lovers of all things pop, but anyone diving any further beneath the surface will spot missed opportunities often, even though the new '80s direction the band have opted to take is really very well done and absolutely a good move for them."[19]

Track listing

Sunday at Foxwoods track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Sunday at Foxwoods"1:57
2."The Outside"4:04
3."Language"2:59
4."Blood and Sugar"3:06
5."New Love"3:43
6."Miracle"3:01
7."Cry"3:39
8."Monday Morning"1:34
9."Physical"3:31
10."Hourglass"3:44
11."Story of a Lifetime"3:29
12."Brooklyn State of Mind"3:04
13."Lost in Wonderland"4:37
Total length:42:28

Personnel

Boys Like Girls
  • Martin Johnson – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • John Keefe – drums, percussion
  • Gregory James – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Jamel Hawke – lead guitar, backing vocals

Production

References

  1. ^ a b Sacher, Andrew (August 25, 2023). "Boys Like Girls announce first album in 11 years, Sunday at Foxwoods". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Maddy Howell (October 20, 2024). "Boys Like Girls, 'Sunday At Foxwoods' - The Album Story". Rock Sound. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  3. ^ Taylor Weatherby (October 30, 2023). "Boys Like Girls Is Back: How Self-Acceptance & Artistic Freedom Created The Pop-Punk Group's Best Form". Grammys. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  4. ^ Sadie Bell (May 19, 2023). "Hear Boys Like Girls' first song after an 11-year hiatus, 'Blood and Sugar'". Alternative Press. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  5. ^ Charisma Madarang (May 17, 2023). "Boys Like Girls to Drop First New Music Since 2012". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  6. ^ Josh Weiner (January 10, 2024). "Interview: Boys Like Girls Are Back With Sunday at Foxwoods and Martin Johnson Is Leading the Charge". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  7. ^ Teddy Coward (September 22, 2023). "Boys Like Girls Explore 'New Love' On Their Latest Single". Rock Sound. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  8. ^ White, Logan (May 19, 2023). "Boys Like Girls Release First New Song Since 2012, "Blood And Sugar"". Substream Magazine. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  9. ^ Neville Hardman (June 23, 2023). "Hear Boys Like Girls' new anthem for unspoken attraction 'Language'". Alternative Press. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  10. ^ James Wilson-Taylor (July 28, 2023). "Boys Like Girls Drop Nostalgic Music Video For 'The Outside'". Rock Sound. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  11. ^ "Boys Like Girls Announce Album Details & Release Video For New Single 'CRY'". Bring the Noise UK. August 25, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  12. ^ Lorie Liebug (August 25, 2023). "Boys Like Girls Ready First New Album In 11 Years". American Songwriter. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  13. ^ Maggie Dickman (September 22, 2023). "Boys Like Girls Believe in 'NEW LOVE' On New Single". idobi Radio. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  14. ^ Neville Hardman (May 31, 2023). "Boys Like Girls are going on tour this fall". Alternative Press. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  15. ^ Teddy Coward (October 6, 2023). "Boys Like Girls Drop New Version Of 'The Outside' Featuring 3OH!3, State Champs, The Summer Set And The Ready Set". Rock Sound. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Matt Collar. "Sunday at Foxwoods — Boys Like Girls Review by Matt Collar". AllMusic. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  17. ^ a b Adam Grundy (October 20, 2023). "Boys Like Girls — Sunday at Foxwoods Review". Chorus.fm. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  18. ^ a b Kanan Nagel (November 6, 2023). "Album Review: Sunday at Foxwoods by Boys Like Girls". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  19. ^ "Album Review: Boys Like Girls – 'Sunday At Foxwoods'". The Soundboard Reviews. October 20, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday_at_Foxwoods
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