SINGLE REVIEW: FOX FAGAN “NOBODY ON THE BLOCK”
Entrancing, lullaby-like melodies meet Fagan’s dreamy, poignant voice. Laid-back rhythm and poised texture bring a nostalgic, Californian vibe. Expressive slide guitar and emotive cello create another layer of contrast. Fox Fagan’s music is a dark blend of folkloric telling from his UK root and Los Angeles’s laid-back southern sun with a touch from the deserted, island of Australia. It becomes something indistinguishable together, brewing its unique texture.
Narrated around an encounter at 3 am between a man living on the block and a hooker named ‘Jordie,’ “Nobody On The Block” is a mixture of many that left for free interpretation. The spiraling storytelling plotted something fascinating in between the lines. The first-person narrative closeup on a single man living in solitude, longing for warmth and human touch. Empty cans and Slayers been on painted the surroundings and his lifestyle.
The interaction between the hooker was more of a one-sided story by the man who assumed the hooker needed to be saved and invited her to stay over. The hooker’s response doesn’t come till the end of the song when she said, “Don’t you know baby, I do nobody on the block. I’ve got my own buzz now please leave me alone.”
From the simple, straightforward narration to top-notch sonics and performance, the seasoned musician has a track of collecting life-inspired stories in his songs, evoking deep thinkings without much instruction. The clever metaphors always mirror back our own state of mind; the underlying message is always left for individual interpretation.
Written by Katrina Yang
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