Photo credit: Brian Adler
LISTEN: “TIME IS A KILLER”
Today, San Francisco-based outfit The Stone Foxes have unleashed “Time Is A Killer,” the latest from their forthcoming LP, On The Other Side, due out on November 18th. “With a sound that strays somewhere between The Black Crowes, Jack White, and The Struts, The Stone Foxes have crafted a blistering new song that hits all the right chords,” said Chorus.fm in the track’s premiere.
“The lyrical theme came from the idea of mother nature being a character – a stone cold killer – which she is. Mother nature doesn’t play games. Mother Nature will auto-correct our foolishness. And after a certain amount of time, Mother nature will move on without us if we don’t get wise,” says TSF’s Shannon Koehler, who co-founded TSF with his brother, Spence. “It’s not complicated by any stretch, but it’s one of the first songs I’ve ever written on piano. However, I am very aware that it’s Spence’s guitar, the horns, and the backup singers—Emilie, Zola, and Kelly—that really make the track go to another level. We tried to make a big soup out of Spence’s guitar, a little early Wu-Tang beat influence, and some Ennio Morricone.”
The song follows “Man’s Red Fire,” inspired by a lyric from The Jungle Book's “I Want To Be Like You.” “I’ve always loved that song and that phrase, and living in California surrounded by wildfires every summer for the past four years, it was stuck in my head,” Shannon said of the song. “The flames are a symbol of power and I couldn’t help but think of this raging fire of racism that’s been burning in our country since its inception. Just looking around, it’s obvious that the civil war isn’t over, so I started writing lyrics with civil war imagery in my head, and putting them together with lyrics that symbolized a quest for power.”
LISTEN: “MAN’S RED FIRE”
On The Other Side will be the first full-length album recorded by Shannon (lead vocals, drums, harmonica, producer) and Spence (lead guitar, rhythm guitar, pedal steel, bass, producer) in over six years. For the Koehler brothers, On The Other Side is a cinematic western rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack to pull you through when the journey gets rough. The lyrics and sounds reflect Shannon's journey through a second open heart surgery, the brothers’ struggles with anxiety, being grounded by love, and the experience of living in a deeply disturbing America.
It's also an album of many firsts. "It’s the first time Spence and I have been the main songwriters on every track of a release," says Shannon. "It’s the first time I’ve sung lead vocals on every track of a release. It’s the first time I’ve ever written songs on piano that turned into actual songs on an album. It’s the first time Spence has been the main bass player on a full album."
The new single and album announcement coincides with the launch of a new fan club, The Fox Den. Members will receive early access to the album and exclusive demos, listening party invites, and exclusive merch. Members can even have their names listed in the CD liner notes or receive handwritten lyrics from the band. Membership levels begin at $30 and are available at https://www.thestonefoxes.com/the-fox-den. Be sure to follow The Stone Foxes at the links below for the latest news and updates.
Artwork by Spence Koehler