Foxes - All I Need [Review]

Southampton sweetheart Louisa Rose Allen – stage name Foxes – has been performing professionally since 2011 and has garnered a lot of attention in recent years following her Grammy Award winning ‘Clarity’ collaboration with Zedd. She’s come a long way since her Youth days, and this is evident in her most recent music, which is far more emotional and raw than any of her previous Glorious works, which were almost pristine in their production and a little too glossy on occasion. Her latest album, All I Need, combines pure pop splendour with emotional lyrics to create songs that possess style and substance; when it comes to making a catchy track that still maintains its meaningful nature, very few people do it better than Foxes.

Whilst her previous album was quite ethereal and wistful, All I Need is a far more serious take on her life and her heartbreak, showcasing the darker sides of relationships in devious ‘Devil Side’, a dramatic and edgy ballad that breaks the formula the singer has so dutifully followed before. The raw emotion continues on Scar, a meaningful song where we get to hear Foxes’ impressive voice crack and waver a bit as she truly immerses herself in the music, inviting us in to see a different side to the seemingly upbeat singer.

There is plenty of variety in Allen’s intriguing album, and the calypso-esque Cruel is a tropical tune that is a clear stand-out, while Feet Don’t Fail Me Now shakes things up with a jazzy banger complete with rhythmic clapping and piano beats that make you want to get up and dance. Rather than sticking to what works for her, Allen takes noticeable risks – some pay off, some don’t – especially with ‘Wicked Love and Money’. The former starts off in typical Foxes fashion (melody similar to Youth) but then does a complete switch, changing the tempo and producing a more candy-coated track that is juxtaposed with the harsher nature of the lyrics, making for a thoughtful and overall effective tune. The latter unfortunately does not have the same effect. Is it more than a bit ironic that one of the few songs that doesn’t really have an impact is the eclectic track where Foxes sings dutifully that “Money can’t love you/ Money can’t hold you”. Perhaps Foxes is proving her point a bit too well. This track does absolutely nothing and lacks almost any personality and sense of self.

Despite this, it would be appear Allen has managed to create a new album that, for the most part, has ‘all you need’. The upbeat songs with melancholy undertones are still there of course – but they are presented far more brutally and bare, not overpowered by sweeping synths or powerful percussions. All I Need highlights Allen’s ability as a personable songwriter and also utilizes her infectious vocals to its advantage, resulting in a collection of songs that show just how you produce pop that is both meaningful and conscientiously catchy.