Foxygen's "San Francisco"

Foxygen: "Waitin 4 You"

We're certainly conflicted on this band. After a horrible showing at the one CMJ show we saw (apparently all the others were better) - we've been digesting Foxygen's new album We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic (in stores January 22nd). It would take you two sheets of paper to list all of the musical references on the new single "San Francisco" (see Village Green-era Kinks and Velvet's "Sunday Morning") - but the band's humor and sly winks to the past may redeem them from being pure rip-off artists (we're not positive yet). While more more refined than their messy sprawling psych-opus of an EP, there are still elements of Foxygen's unique and creative mindset - it's just more palatable here. Not for nothing, San Francisco has a lovely melody (an actual melody!) and its pleasant disposition will make anyone's morning better.