Foxing

Foxing are an emo and indie rock group from St. Louis, United States, active from 2011. The band forms after the end of Hunter Gatherer, a post-rock group that includes Josh Coll, Jon Hellwig and Matthew Piva. Foxing’s early and changing line-up draws members from several other bands, including Family Might, Torchlight Red, Eagle Scout, Falsetto Boy, Muscle Brain, Badgerhunt and Jimshorts.

Formation and early line-up

The band first expands to include Conor Murphy, who is then the bassist in Family Might and formerly the vocalist in Torchlight Red, and guitarist Ben Helman of Eagle Scout. Helman leaves in late 2011 and Jim Fitzpatrick of Falsetto Boy and Muscle Brain takes his place. The group briefly considers the name She Hums in Swarms before settling on Foxing in October 2011. In January 2012 they record the Old Songs EP.

The line-up changes again in 2012, with Piva and Fitzpatrick replaced by Samuel Naumann of Torchlight Red and Ricky Sampson of Badgerhunt. Naumann leaves soon after and Thomas Pini, lead vocalist and guitarist of Family Might, fills the vacancy. Eric Hudson of Torchlight Red, Family Might and Jimshorts later joins the band. Josh Coll, one of the founders, later serves as bass guitarist until he leaves in 2017 to pursue filmmaking. Ricky Sampson leaves in 2020. E.M. Hudson is listed among the members.

Recordings and releases

Foxing release Old Songs in August 2012 after it is recorded earlier that year. In February 2013 they issue a split with Send Away Stranger on Saint Louis DIY label Carucage Records and another split with Japanese Breakfast. In March 2013 they begin their first Midwest tour and sign to Count Your Lucky Stars Records on the final night.

Their debut album, The Albatross, arrives in November 2013 on Count Your Lucky Stars Records. They sign to Triple Crown Records in 2014, which releases a remastered version of the album in May. The Albatross is later released in the UK and is described in genre terms including chamber rock, emo, indie rock, math rock and post-rock.

The second album, Dealer, follows through Triple Crown and reaches number 3 on the Billboard Vinyl Albums chart. A promotional track, “The Magdalene,” is issued before the album. Foxing tour with The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, and also tour in the US and UK/Europe with support from Lymbyc Systym, O’Brother, Tancred and TTNG. They perform in Copenhagen and Reykjavik during the European run.

In 2018 the band announces Nearer My God, their third studio album, and releases it through Triple Crown Records. The lead single “Slapstick” is accompanied by a video directed by Josh Coll.

Foxing’s fourth album, Draw Down the Moon, is announced in 2021 after a sequence of singles including “Speak with the Dead,” “Go Down Together,” “Where the Lightning Strikes Twice,” “If I Believed in Love” and the title track. The album is released in August 2021. In 2022 the band releases Live at the Grandel as a vinyl-only live album limited to 1,000 copies, followed by a video of the performance.

In 2024 Foxing announce a self-titled fifth studio album through a mock press conference video.

Live activity and touring

Foxing play festivals including Shaky Knees, Bunbury, Wrecking Ball and Pygmalion. They also tour with Balance & Composure and appear on support tours with Seahaven, Brand New, Modern Baseball and mewithoutYou.