In the latter stages of the grunge era a plethora of bands arose from the ashes of mediocrity to establish themselves with minor radio hits.
The Nixons fell into this category when their radio single "Sister" achieved moderate success. However, once you get past the sentimental radio hit there are several tracks on
Foma more deserving of attention. "Head" is a roller coaster ride of anxious buildup, explosive release, and then more buildup and release. "Smile" provides catchy lyrics sung with emotion-laden vocals. Arguably the best song on the album is "Trampoline," which takes the best characteristics of "Head" and "Smile" to produce a well-crafted piece of songwriting complete with numerous flashes of guitar virtuosity.
The Nixons are at their best when
Zac Maloy's vocals are wrenching to compete with the wailing guitar licks provided here by Jesse Davis.
Foma opens with a scream and then delivers a hard rock romp that will delight fans of the heavy alternative genre. ~ Erik Crawford