It’s been a while since I first heard Foxygen’s “Shuggie.” My introduction to the late 00s/early 2010s revival of 1970s guitar rock tropes didn’t begin with that track, but the existence of Foxygen as a whole certainly cemented the reality of its existence in my mind. I first saw Shaun Fleming drumming for Foxygen live at Bowery Ballroom (I think?) with the soul-shreddingly delightful Unknown Mortal Orchestra a few years back, and I remember thinking that Foxygen really wasn’t much of an opening band so much as they were a rollicking, rabble-rousing headliner. My friends were exhausted after the Foxygen set, and left before UMO went on; they still regret that to this day. In any case, Shaun certainly maintains that frenetic rock-and-roll energy without Foxygen; Bloomington-based psychedelic doo-wop project Diane Coffee just released a music video for “Mayflower” ahead of their new album Everybody’s a Good Dog out now via Western Vinyl. Shaun is about to embark on a pretty significant tour that begins Tuesday at Baby’s All Right, supported by locals Whitewash and the Lemon Twigs.
This video amounts to a giant parody of the endless TV infomercial ads, combining that wacky late-night advertisement aesthetic with a sort of ironic pun-filled writerly glee (blow-up lipstick “atomic balm,” generic medication “Sidafex,” morning remedy “Alarm Shock”). Shaun quite literally flies around this surreal panoramic advertisement-scape with a superhero cape and gloves on, which is all in all a pretty transcendent message from someone who necessarily participates in the capitalist fuckfest that is the music business. The track itself opens up with blaring rock-n-roll horns (actually, almost reminiscent of Reel Big Fish era American ska revival) and maintains an uptempo groove fleshed out by acoustic guitars and mellow electric lead licks panned to both extremes. Full to the brim with “ooh-la-lala” and a chorus sensibility that somehow recalls Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones at the same time, I enjoyed it pretty thoroughly – though “Mayflower” isn’t my favorite track of the new album (which is, on the whole, pretty damn strong).
You can keep up with Diane Coffee on social media, buy their music on Western Vinyl‘s site, or see them live at any of the following tour dates with Luna and Of Montreal.
09/04 St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
09/15 Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
9/17 Cleveland, OH @ Happy Dog
09/18 Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
09/19 Dayton, OH @ Dayton Music Festival
09/26 Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
09/27 Champaign-Urbana, IL @ Pygmalion Festival
10/03 Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West w/ Luna
10/05 Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero w/ Luna
10/06 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club w/ Luna
10/07 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom w/ Luna
10/8 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom w/ Luna
10/10 Boston, MA @ Paradise w/ Luna
10/11 Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace w/ Luna
10/13 Toronto, ON @ Danforth Hall w/ Luna
10/15 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall w/ Luna
10/16 Chicago, IL @ House of Blues w/ Luna
10/21 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge w/ of Montreal
10/22 Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe @ Old National Centre w/ of Montreal
10/23 Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe w/ of Montreal
10/24 Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s w/ of Montreal
10/25 Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre w/ of Montreal
10/26 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room w/ of Montreal
10/27 Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar w/ of Montreal
10/28 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater w/ of Montreal
10/29 Billings, MT @ Pub Station w/ of Montreal
10/30 Missoula, MT @ Stage 112 w/ of Montreal
10/31 Seattle, WA @ Neptune w/ of Montreal
11/01 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom w/ of Montreal
11/02 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall w/ of Montreal
11/03 Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst w/ of Montreal
11/04 Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater w/ of Montreal
11/05 San Diego, CA @ Irenic w/ of Montreal
11/06 Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom w/ of Montreal
11/07 Tucson, AZ @ Night Of The Living Fest
11/08 El Paso, TX @ Tricky Falls w/ of Montreal
11/09 San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger w/ of Montreal
11/10 Austin, TX @ The Mohawk w/ of Montreal
11/11 New Orleans, LA @ Howlin Wolf – Wolf Den w/ of Montreal
