Bill Fox
Resonance
Eleventh Hour Recording Company [2025]
“Beloved singer-songwriter Bill Fox returns with his first album since 2012.”
Album Overview: It’s always a treat to get new music from Cleveland-based musician Bill Fox. A part of the Midwest indie rock scene since forming his well-received band The Mice in the mid 80s, Fox put out a pair of brilliant albums in the late 90s on spinART Records: 1997’s Shelter From the Smoke, and 1998’s Transit Byzantium. Since then, Fox’s output has been sporadic, releasing just a pair of albums since then in limited runs on small labels, the last (One Thought Revealed) only available on CD and released more than a decade ago. That’s why it’s such a pleasant surprise that Fox has returned with a new record called Resonance that collects unreleased tracks from across his career.
Musical Style: Fox’s musical approach usually fits one of two molds: acoustic-based folk songs or catchy power-pop, with the line often blurring between the two. Recorded on equipment that ranges from cassette decks to modern recording studios, the fidelity varies from track to track; but with Fox’s music, the focus is always on the songs themselves rather than how they’re recorded.
Evolution of Sound: Resonance collects tracks from across Fox’s career, and while the minimal liner notes don’t include recording dates, there’s at least one track that comes from a 1990 recording with guitarist Doug Gillard (Guided by Voices, Cobra Verde, Death of Samantha), culled from an unreleased album. Some songs sound like they could have been left on the cutting room floor during the sessions for his spinART albums, while others sound more like the later recordings featured on One Thought Revealed. The differences in sound quality from one track to the next are even more apparent than usual, but these don’t feel like cast-offs; song-for-song, they hold their own against his best material.
Artists with Similar Fire: Anyone who appreciates acoustic-based singer-songwriters should be able to connect with Fox’s music. Early Bob Dylan is one easy comparison, although Fox’s voice is more traditionally “musical” than Dylan’s while still having an edge to it. Fox’s fellow Ohioans Guided by Voices are another point of comparison, especially the acoustic-based tracks on the latter’s lo-fi records (think “14 Cheerleader Coldfront,” “Jar of Cardinals,” or “Please Freeze Me”). When Fox rocks out, his power-pop tunes channel The Beatles, The Byrds, Big Star, Emitt Rhodes, Tommy Keene, The Toms, and more (including GBV, who have cited Fox as an influence), with crunchy guitars and multi-tracked harmonies that emphasize the catchiest aspects of Fox’s songwriting.
Pivotal Tracks: At only 11 tracks, Resonance doesn’t pad out its 42-minute run time. The variety of recording approaches keeps the songs from getting repetitive even though they’re mostly acoustic-based folk. There are some standouts, though: opener “Terminal Way” is classic Fox, with a double-tracked vocal and catchy hooks that instantly draw the listener in. “Wings of December” is a breezy song with some foot-stomping/guitar-tapping percussion and overdubbed electric guitar leads, while the somber “Wildflower” features fellow Clevelander Doug Gillard on rhythm and lead acoustic guitars. “My Servin’ Time” is another highlight, with some great acoustic guitar-picking and a classic Fox melody.
Lyrical Strength: Fox’s lyrics are always compelling, whether they’re covering traditional love song territory (“Terminal Way”) or more topical subjects (“Man of War”). Tracks like “Meat Factory” mix social commentary with blue-collar poetry in a distinctly midwestern vein, with lines like “You wake up at the brake of dawn / Kiss your love and shuffle on / to the meat factory / Finish from a coffee cup / Those metal doors will swallow you up / in the meat factory.” Fox is at his best when he’s narrating character sketches like this, and thankfully there are several of them on Resonance to immerse oneself in.
Final Groove: Resonance might not have the impact or scope that something like Shelter From the Smoke or Transit Byzantium does, but it’s probably the best thing Fox has put out since that pair of albums. Even if it is a clearinghouse of sorts for stray songs, it doesn’t feel cobbled together—Fox’s albums have always had an eclectic patchwork feel, and this one is no exception. It might not be the album the curious should start with, but the fact that it exists at all seems like a small miracle; that it stands alongside his best work is even more surprising. Let’s just hope it’s not another 13 years before we get the next one!
BILL FOX LINKS
Bandcamp | Eleventh Hour Recording Company
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