The Church of Rock and Roll

Fans of Foxy Shazam have come to expect glam-rock excess from the Cincinnati-based sextet. Make no mistake: there’s plenty of delirious excess on The Church of Rock and Roll, but there’s also new depth and maturity. As before, Foxy Shazam is defined by Eric Sean Nally’s high-flying theatrical vocals and air of decadent abandon. He dives into overheated numbers like “The Temple,” “Holy Touch,” and “Wasted Feelings” with giddy relish. His bandmates churn, slam, and throb behind him, with Loren Turner unleashing ferocious guitar riffage, Sky White adding leering keyboard lines, and Alex Nauth laying down tasty horn parts. The lead single, “I Like It,” is a particularly seething slice of libidinous fun. Moving beyond the album’s bombast, Foxy lays down a sweet soul groove in “Last Chance at Love,” gets jazzy in “The Street,” and delivers a surprisingly tender ballad with “Forever Together.” “Freedom” adds a political commentary of sorts with a wailing cry for the common man.