Album Review: Phoxjaw – notverynicecream (Hassle Records)

Where once Phoxjaw looked outward, they now turn inward. The Bristolian oddballs’ critically acclaimed debut Royal Swan (2020) was a celebration of British culture – warts and all – with a host of local, hand-picked guest musicians.

The band now return, in marked contrast and increased musical maturity, with second album notverynicecream (26th May, Hassle Records). Born from various states of COVID-19 lockdown, notverynicecream is a glimpse into Phoxjaw’s future mindset.

Always guaranteed to give their listener base a mesmerising experience. After being delayed for a few months, Phoxjaw return with an album that pushes the boundaries of the band and their music. Music that can be summed up as eccentric and erratic rock, notverynicecream is a high point in the advancing career of this band.

In fact, any doubts about what Phoxjaw could bring here, considering the brilliance of 2020’s Royal Swan is put to bed immediately with the dreamy and poignant evermore. A track that oozes passion and slopes into more noise territories as it reaches its end. Allowing Phoxjaw to transition perfectly into something unhinged sounding in the form of apples. Yet, like so much of what this band does, it’s both hypnotic and catchy.

With those first two tracks, Phoxjaw make it clear that they are back and in a particularly inspired mind frame. Very few bands could go from that to something that has more robust poppier verses and a brash noise-style chorus in icecreamwitch. Or come out with something so damn weird, something so damn infectious, and something so uniquely effective as they do with sungazer.

Though, they do reach an impossible apex it seems with thesaddestsongever. A track that has some cool sounding 80’s vibes and blends gorgeous melody, powerful synth, catchiness, and resounding power, thanks to the latter portion of the track. It’s so lovable, and is one of the album’s best tracks.

So much quality, and the album’s not even half way done. Phoxjaw continue to keep the listener off-balance and in awe with the other-worldly head-banger that is tortoise. Before attempting to get a dance floor moving with the groovy and poppy dancingtrees. It’s as mad as it sounds, but it is undeniably brilliant too.

There’s no getting bored here because notverynicecream is packed with variety and even attempting to predict what might come next is foolish. How could even the biggest Phoxjaw fan expect something like knives? A track that is brutally heavy, combining doom and noise rock impressively, the embodiment of manic imaginations. Or thelastmackerel, a track that sees Phoxjaw at their most eccentric and challenging sounding.

Although that certainly shouldn’t suggest that everything else on this album isn’t akin to a vivid fever dream. No matter how much you toss, turn, and sweat, the dream seems to never end. Apt considering it’s the colourful shotgunlipstick next, and lastmancalledjohn follows that with a short-ish blast of heaviness.

How the hell do you wrap up this album? Well, if you’re Phoxjaw you hoof the listener down into the rabbit hole one more time. Offering up both the longest track and the most intricate example of how extraordinarily unique this record this. Think you’ve heard everything? Not until you’ve experienced serpentsdripfromtheskies.

A mad album from a mad band. There has been nothing like this, well, since the last time Phoxjaw released a record. Even still, the boundaries they push here is on another level, yet everything works. Everything on this album captures the imagination in one way or another. It’s as off-putting as it is addictive, and if you’re willing to give it your time, you will be richly rewarded. Expect to see notverynicecream in a lot of best album end of year lists.

Phoxjaw – notverynicecream Track Listing:

1. evermore
2. apples
3. icecreamwitch
4. sungazer
5. thesaddestsongever
6. tortoise
7. dancingtrees
8. knives
9. thelastmackerel
10. shotgunlipstick
11. lastmancalledjohn
12. serpentsdripfromtheskies

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