The 1981 Listening Post - John Foxx - The Garden

 John Foxx - The Garden

#407

September 25 1981

John Foxx

The Garden

Genre: John Foxx

3.5 out of 5

Highlights:

Systems of Romance

I want so badly to wax poetic on the history of Ultravox and their legacy and Foxx’s tenure and what it meant when he left to create Metamatic. But I am just unable. I’m not as well versed as I should be, considering their placement on the Pete Frame New Romantic org chart. 

This album is more aggressive than what Ultravox would put out when he left. Vienna was a masterpiece and Metamatic was pretty damned good. This one is much more experimental and dark. It doesn’t just have edges, it has serrated edges that are rusty from being left out in the rain. 

I think Adam Ant spent too much time listening to Foxx and Foxx spent too much time worshipping Bowie. 

Not a lot to hold on to here. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-garden-plus/736156706

The 1980 Listening Post - John Foxx - Metamatic

John Foxx - Metamatic

#17

Reviewed by Brian San Marco

John Foxx

Metamatic

Genre: Casio chords/New Wave

Allen’s Rating: 4.5

Brian’s Rating: 2

Brian’s Highlights:

New Kind of Man

John Foxx

Metamatic

Highlights: New Kind of Man

As far back as I can remember, I wanted a Casio Keyboard.  This was partly due to the fact that they had “Casio Chords” – one touch harmony and rhythm for the simple songwriter, like myself.  

I was 8 in 1980 and listened to pop music.  My foray into New Wave mostly involved bands with hits.  Needless to say, I’ve never heard this before in my life.  I did later get into New Order, then Joy Division, but I’m in no way a connoisseur of such things.  When MTV came out I had Gary Numan.  I now know who HIS influence might have been.

Foxx’s music is very synth and very simple.  Simple in the Casio Chord sense.  One white key triggers the verse – drums and everything – hold a second key, and you modulate to minor.  This is how I started making music when I was 8.  Casio Chords.  I swear it sounded the same.  The same as every song on this record except a finger was moved and the words changed.  I noticed the similar pattern across the songs only a few songs in.  It was about halfway through that I realized I was entranced by Casio Chords and for a moment I thought “This is kind of enjoyable.”  I can’t really explain it – like the smell of rubbing alcohol.  Then in an instant, I was bored to death, annoyed, and in need of funk.

https://open.spotify.com/album/3OFXYdKqkbAbnPubrFja0A?si=LiX3kFBuS26KB_uOt1QfZQ  (Tracks 1-10 only)

The 1985 Listening Post - John Foxx - In Mysterious Ways

John Foxx - In Mysterious Ways

#348/984

September 23 1985

John Foxx

In Mysterious Ways

Genre: Pop

2 out of 5

John must’ve heard “Do They Know it’s Christmas” and decided that was the sound for him. Or watered down Bowie. Everything sounds like “I melt with you”. 

Foxx sounds bored. So am I. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/in-mysterious-ways-plus/732907497

The 1983 Listening Post - John Foxx - The Garden Section

John Foxx - The Garden Section

September 16, 1983

John Foxx

The Garden Section

4 out of 5

Highlights:

My Wild Love

Endlessly

I don’t think enough people talk about how great Ultravox were in their day. John Foxx moved on from them and put of a bunch of amazing music, apparently. Metamatic was great. This is equally so.

Gorgeous without being unctuous. Lush without being cloying.

This is everything Duran Duran wanted to be but could never even get close. It stumbles here and there but, pound for pound it’s a rewarding entry into the synth-rock catalog.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-golden-section-plus/736162093