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Stuff from the Epoxies site
RAZORCAKE MAGAZINE
Music Reviews
Review One by Donofthedead
I might not be able to articulate as well as others at this here mag in regards to this band. But I was highly anticipating this release to review and listen. I missed the debut 7" that sold real quick. But the dudes at Razorcake HQ made sure that I heard their self-titled full length. I was blown away like a scrap piece of newspaper on a windy day. That release had a long stay in the CD changer. A lot of bands are playing the second wave of new wave, but like any scene, only a few stand out. This band stands out. On this sophomore release, the production is much stronger and the songwriting has shown a continued maturity. They still have an amazing knack of creating and capturing the melody so that the songs are memorable and keep you humming. The guitars are much more prominent this time around and the quirkiness of the synths are not in the forefront but more complimentary. In turn, the songs have more of a punch that you can feel from a distance. More rock and less novelty. Roxy Epoxy also feels more confident in her vocal delivery. The vocals have more passion and I feel she gives the songs more emotional layers. Overall, they overcome the sophomore curse and put out a release that is so much better than their previous product. If you haven't taken the time to check this band out in the past, now is the time. Portland is kicking some major ass with the latest wave of bands coming out.
RAZORCAKE MAGAZINE
Music Reviews
Review Two by Designated Dale
If anyone makes the snyde remark that the Epoxies are an '80s rehash band, then their eyes must be dark brown due to the fact that they're full of shit. Yes, the Epoxies borrow a half-cup of this and a dash and a bit of that from some of what reared its head in the '80s, but it's what they do with it that makes them so damn good when it comes to making records. There's the winding synth that's right in there with the pummeling rhythm section and rocking guitar, but it's a pleasing mix that ain't too rough/experimental, yet not too overproduced or slick like some of the clove cigarette smoke-filled, new-romantic dance hall slime that was spinning in the past. Roxy's singing is a bit hard to put a finger on, but try to think of a young Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders) with the vocal meter of a young Leonard Graves (Dickies). Kudos to the Fat Wreck Chords folks for getting this second rekkid out in the hands of soon-to-be fans. While you're out doing yourself the favor of grabbing this, do yourself another and get their debut full length on Dirtnap. both CDs will have you bobbing your head like a crack-ridden chicken in seconds flat (It's true - it happened to me the first time I saw them blow the roof off The Echo in L.A. a few years ago).
AMP MAGAZINE
Music Reviews
Review One by RK
2nd LP from the New Wavers putting the keyboards back into punk. Truly terrific, and more than justifying all the accords that have been heaped upon them. Think the BUZZCOCKS, playing on the first CARS album, with GARY NUMAN providing the keyboards. Or imagine what the REZILLOS would've sounded like with a damn good synth. All this and more. Truly, believe the hype....
AMP MAGAZINE
Music Reviews
Review Two by MWB
THE EPOXIES are one of the most underrated bands out there today. Their debut LP came out on Dirtnap Records, so it didn’t get a whole lot of exposure until a year or two after it came out. Their inclusion on the Rock Against Bush comp definitely helped, and now here we find them on Fat Wreck, a huge jump forward for the band, which will hopefully get them the attention they deserve. THE EPOXIES are the undisputed champs of 80’s synth-pop-punk, if that is even a genre. Great songs, great vocals, amazing energy, and just an all-around good time, THE EPOXIES are exactly what the scene needs – something fun and unique. Stop the Future blows away any and all of the band’s previous efforts, with no one song standing head and shoulders above the rest – they’re all equally amazing.
MONDOGORDO.COM
Record Reviews
BY REV. KEITH A. GORDON
Lost amid all this brouhaha over nuevo wave-o bands like the Bravery, the Killers, et al is the charm of the two-and-a-half-minute pop song. While all these '80s throwback critical darlings fill up every corner of a tune with blaring synths and chirpy rhythms, they've also ignored new wave's punk roots. Not so with the Epoxies, as bouncy a bunch of decade-obsessed young punks as you're likely to stumble across. Equal parts X-Ray Spex and Katrina and the Waves, Epoxies mine the same sort of fertile musical vein as their better-known contemporaries, but with more punkish glee and joi de vivre...and you'll only find one song on Stop The Future clocking in at more than the three minute mark. Stop The Future, the Portland, Oregon band's second full-length album, cleverly puts the Epoxies' secret weapon up front and on display. Singer Roxy Epoxy, the band's namesake, has the same sort of vocal presence and warbling tone that made Deborah Harry such a hot commodity back in the day. Throw in a dash of obvious artistic antecedents as Lene Lovich, Poly Styrene and Pearl Harbour, and you have the perfect sound to front Epoxies' imaginative blend of sci-fi angst and modern electronic alienation. Stop The Future hits the ground running with "Radiation," the sort of larger-than-life, guitar-and-synth duel that pushes the song into overdrive as Epoxy sings some coded lyrics about disinformation on her TV set poisoning her mind. From this point the band doesn't stop kicking, keeping the VU meter well into the red until the final, fading notes. Now kiddies, the Reverend hasn't had this much fun with a record album since the Catholic Girls stirred up all kinds of sinful thoughts back in 1982 with their self-titled romp. Call it punk-pop, power-pop or even new wave, the Epoxies deliver plenty of three-chord thrills-and-chills with Stop The Future. "Robot Man" is a marvelous commentary on the alienating nature of modern society, delivered with throaty, electrifying vocals, a call-and-response styled chorus and synth riffs thicker than the London fog. "Everything Looks Beautiful On Video" is another thinly veiled commentary disguised as a song about lost love, the fantasy that surrounds much romance, and how technology helps us freeze a moment in time. The title track begins with a throbbing bassline and oscillating synthesizer before descending into a full-blown tribal drumfest, a mostly-instrumental workout with a few yelped vocals that provides a better perspective of the dark clouds on the horizon than any lyrics could. Unlike the growing ranks of their musical contemporaries, the Epoxies would have been just as comfortable back in 1980 as they are some twenty-five years later. Evoking fond memories of the Go-Gos, the Bangles, Blondie, the Catholic Girls and other practitioners of the three-minute big beat aesthetic, look no further than Stop The Future if you want to travel forward into the past to get your '80s groove on.
ADD ZINE ONLINE
EPOXIES "Stop The Future" CD
Calling the Epoxies a new wave band is almost a crime against humanity. Sure the synths are prominent in the bands arsenal of sound, but there's far more going on beneath the retro surface. Under all the duct tape outfits, wacky sunglasses, and other thrift store apparel there's a tight fucking band fronted by a dominating female singer whose vocal chops could spar with Debbie Harry. The bands 2002 debut on Seattle based label Dirtnap Records was well received by judgmental jaded pricks (music journalists) like myself for it's impressive musicianship and songwriting rather than the bands resurrection of vintage new wave sounds and parafanalia. See I review a lot of crap and I've listened to many a promo CD over the past fifteen years where a band tried to use a gimmick to sell records and the Epoxies are not from that ilk. If you look past the garb and futuristic song titles like "Radiation" and "Synthesized" you'll find a band who know what it takes to make you move, whether it's mentally or physically.
"Stop the Future" is the bands sophomore effort and debut release on prominent independent record label Fat Wreck Chords from San Francisco. The CD starts off with "Radiation" a song that picks up where the 2002 debut left off with it's heavy synth driven leads and upfront female vocals. The band does however change the tempo and mood throughout the course of the CD with emotional songs like "Everything Looks Beautiful On Video" and the anthematic "Toys". But perhaps my favorite song on the CD is the schizophrenic cover of "Robot Man" by the Scorpions. Wish I could do the whistling part of "Winds of Change" for comic effect but we are on CPU here folks. It's hard to rate the two albums by this band against each other because people are always going to be nostalgic for the bands debut in the same way people talk about Against Me's debut on No Idea. But the Epoxies have expanded on their original blueprint just like Against Me! did on "As The Eternal Cowboy" without tearing down the whole structure and rebuilding from scratch. So from a technical aspect I would say that yes, "Stop The Future" is even more impressive than the bands debut release.
THREE IMAGINARY GIRLS
Reviews
By Bill Bullock
It seems like the conventional critical wisdom on The Epoxies in to peg them as a throwback 80's new wave nostalgia act and safely file them away in the kitsch drawer; a fun, fluffy band in funny costumes that shouldn't be taken too seriously. To do so, however, is to miss the huge, bloody heart that pumps away madly inside their cyborg body. Like all the best sci-fi, the lasting appeal of The Epoxies is that they have dressed up some very basic-yet-powerful stuff about love, alienation, and power in the trappings of lasers, robots, and geeky futurism.
They are also — and I can't stress this enough — massively catchy. We're talking can't-get-a-song-out-of-your-head-for-three-weeks-straight, serotonin-re-uptake-inhibiting, brain-aneurysm-inducing catchy. If you've heard them at all, you know what I mean. If you haven't, you need to. Don't say I didn't warn you. It also doesn't hurt that lead singer Roxy Epoxy, the love-child of Gary Numan and Siouxsie Sioux if ever there was one, has utterly killer pipes as well as this reviewer's hands-down vote as totally best fawking frontwoman ever personally witnessed by him.
So now that we've gotten through with the introductions, we can heave a sigh of relief that all of these elements are on display par excellence on The Epoxies newest disc, Stop The Future. Right off the bat the listener gets zapped in the ears with "Radiation," an infectious ode to the twin joys of paranoia and propaganda, followed closely by "Synthesized," a track that will be familiar to long term Epoxies from its release a few years ago as a seven inch (a release, it should be noted, that true pop fans should try to get their hands on at any cost due to the b-side inclusion of an utterly mind-blowing cover of Alice Cooper's "Clones (We're All)" that takes a song that was already pretty damn good and unequivocally owns it for the rest of fucking time).
In a way, because the band is so consistently good, it takes really insanely great tracks to truly stand out, the album's first being "Wind Me Up," a frenetic shot of sonic adrenaline that seethes with motor-mouthed venom and an undeniable energy that surely has it at the top of the charts in a more fair parallel universe. Undoubtedly only a few slots below it on the bizarro charts are "Everything Looks Beautiful On Video," which sounds like the lost love song David Cronenburg might have written while filming Videodrome, then got Debbie Harry to record between her scenes, and "No Interest," a tongue-in-cheek little Ocasek-ian gem about the perils of credit card culture.
The band saves the real smack in the head song for last though, a bonafide jaw-dropper called "Toys," that displays The Epoxies genuine emotional punch, playfulness and ungodly skill with a hook in equal parts. Acknowledging the band's new wave forebearers like New Order and Numan while looking boldly toward the next stage of their own evolution, the track should leave listener's slobbering for what's to come. If this is the future for The Epoxies, then by all means bring it on.
INSIDE KNOWLEDGE
Reviews
By Martijn
Looking like they’re on a date with the Briefs and with a sound roughly equivalent to Devo’s nerdish extremism and synthesized growl, The Epoxies take on the world with yet another record. Sure an electro-futuristic music and a chick singer sound like it has nothing to do with punk, but wasn’t punk all about being an outcast in the first place? Well, outcast Epoxies you shall be! You see, this might’ve been huge in the 80’s and might be never be hip in any scene of today, which is a pity cos this is really REALLY amaing stuff I’ve never heard anything like! The band rocks with everything, including guitar riffs, synthesizers, yodeling and forceful beats but its mainly guitars and drums and I gotta say I like the aspect of doing something totally new and I believe this is most certainly high quality music and worth a spin no matter how weird their reviews might sound.
Alternative Press
Reviews
By Waleed Rashidi
The Epoxies' new wave/punk hybrid is a grab bag of goodness: Roxy Epoxy's fantastic lead vocals, her bandmates' solid backing musicianship, and respectable production quality to boot. Sounding like a face-lifted, punk-infused version of Missing Persons' best stuff, the Epoxies' sophomore album is an enjoyable listen that discerningly extracts only the finer qualities of Reagen-era rock-and rightfully ditches the decades unwanted excess. Still, for being somewhat rooted in the past, Stop the Future feels remarkably current, and the songs like "Wind Me Up" and "everything Looks Beautiful on Video" simply destroy. Don't bother dusting off your old vinyl for that instant flashback fix-just drop in this disc.
RUMINATOR
Quick Takes: CDs
The Epoxies Stop the Future Fat Wreck Chords The Epoxies are a rare find—a terrific live band whose infectious on-stage enthusiasm translates palpably to their recorded work. Stop the Future, their second full-length release, bubbles and crackles with kinetic energy, thanks to their Devo-meets-the-Ramones mix of swirling new-wave synthesizers and poppy, punky guitars (and to awesome frontwoman Roxy Epoxy’s vocals, which jump from seductive to sly to crowd-rockin’ yelp a good three times every song). But what’s really surprising is Future’s emotional heft. Underneath the loud-and-fast tunes about robots and lasers, the Epoxies have plenty to say about the numbing effect of mass culture. Fortunately, with an album this good and this immediate, they’ve also managed to create an antidote to that numbing. Take as needed. Or more.
THE REBEL YELL
Music Notes: THE EPOXIES
By Amy Meyer
An electro-futuristic music and a chick singer -- what more could someone ask for? The only thing that comes to mind is the Epoxies' babe singer, Roxy Epoxy, rockin' along side her band. Epoxy and her band mates bring a rock beat that mixes early punk and new wave on their sophomore release "Stop The Future."
The band rocks with everything, including guitar riffs, synthesizers, yodeling and forceful beats. Their self-titled album starts with "Radiation," a song that combines an abundance of synthesizers in sync with Roxy's vocals. The song makes a lot of reference to television; in fact, the subject of television comes up quite often in the lyrics.
The vocals are sassy and upbeat, which keep listeners in tune. The band possesses an '80s feel with more of an abundance of guitar and drums than just electronic beats.
Some of the best tracks on the album include "Struggle Like No Other," "It's You" and "Robot Man." It is hard to say any of the tracks are bad since the whole album flows without one hit of the skip button.
Look for the Epoxies' debut album on Fat Wreck Chords on May 17. After the release, look for them on their six-week tour with the Aquabats, then on a fall package tour with fellow Fat Wreck Chords bands.
THE PORTLAND MERCURY 5/12/2005
By Adam Gnade
Hey Portland, get ready to see another one of your own go mega-huge. After the Epoxies' new rec, STOP THE FUTURE, drops on Tuesday, Gwen Stefani will be asking them to open for her, MTV (or at least it's slutty cousin "2") will come calling, and all sorts of Orange County dickwads will be sizing them up for TV show soundtracks. This isn't a good or bad thing; it's just inevitable. Led by wide-eyed singer Roxy Epoxy - who's eternally wrapped in multicolored Technicolor caution tape, cartwheeling across the nation's stages like a punk Betty Boop - The Epoxies have made a great, exciting new record. (Think DEVO, only cuter.) With popstar heart and indierock brains, STOP is the kind of thing mainstream audiences are gonna lose their collectice caca over and real fast. Prepare for the deluge.
THE PITCH
The Epoxies Stop the Future (Fat Wreck)
By Andrew Miller
A popular explanation for the latest new-wave revival holds that listeners are seeking a return to fun, sexy songs. That theory might be true, but it ignores the genre's intellectual appeal. In the '80s, new wave was to music what science fiction is to literature. Songwriters explored societal alienation and technological terrors, then packaged their paranoia-ridden product with interstellar-travel-ready outfits and glitzy keyboard melodies. The Epoxies' Stop the Future revisits those heady times, but instead of pondering tomorrow's threats, it cowers from today's widely accepted appliances. In Roxy Epoxy's lyrics, televisions and microwaves hide mind-control mechanisms, and the "fate of humankind" is at stake. Her dead-serious delivery sells her smartly constructed scenarios, which are rich with double meanings and abrupt about-faces. As for new wave's visceral thrills, The Epoxies do fun-and-sexy better than any suit-clad British boys. Epoxy's voice recalls Debbie Harry's -- in her Videodrome performance as an alluringly erotic virtual-reality temptress more than her relatively demure Blondie vocals -- and the group's cyberpunk hooks evoke the Descendents at their catchiest.
KWVARADIO
From Rocco's earholes, brain, and computer 5/5/05
By Rocco
Is it too early to declare The Epoxies album Stop The Future one of the best of 2005? I haven't been this excited about a record since Modern Kicks by the late and great Exploding Hearts (whom this album is partially dedicated too). Fellow Portland, Oregonians The Epoxies return with a vengeance in this some what conceptualized album: STOP THE FUTURE. This masterpiece of synth guitar pop is a woven electronic tapestry of songs about: RADIATION, TELEVISION, THOUGHT CONTROL, ROBOTS, MICROWAVES, LAZER BEAMS, and the kind of love you might find in ORWELL'S 1984. Don't be quick to dismiss this as a '80 retro rip off. Sure we can connect the dots to the classic style of: NUMAN, MISSING PERSONS, BERLIN, FLOCK OF SEAGULLS, THE PRETENDERS, and THE CLASH (to mention a few) but The Epoxies stand on their own two android feet with this album. Listen carefully and we find sharp layered lyricism paired with brilliant song and musician craft that seems to transcend and reinvent this genre. (everything seems to fit together flawlessly)
Cliff note version of my review: Do I like this album? You bet your sweet ass I do!
All tracks are worthy of air play. #2 says FUCK at :28 seconds. Faves include: 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10...ahh hell play them all. Treat yourself and listen to the whole thing more than once and you will know why The EPOXIES can STOP THE FUTURE.
THE STRANGER 5/12/05
Up and Coming
By JENNIFER MAERZ
Stop the Future is an apt title for Portland's new-wave art popsters the Epoxies. Their synth-heavy tracks are firmly lodged in the weirder side of the Me Decade, when neon hues tagged more than just the costumes of many chart-topping artists and early L.A. punk acts alike. The band's follow-up to their successful Dirtnap debut pogos across the same territory as its predecessor--ebullient day-glo pop punk given extra buoyancy by frontwoman Roxy Epoxy, whose galactic range could give Gwen Stefani direction in keeping-it-real divadom any day. Over 13 tracks, the Epoxies ride an erratic time capsule back to the days when MTV was a music channel, most successfully on the aptly titled "Wind Me Up" and "Everything Looks Beautiful on Video" which turns the story of a post-breakup blur into a hit that shimmers with disco-ball glitz.
TRIPWIRE 5/8/05
Features
By Matt DuFour
Portland, Oregon's Epoxies will kick your ass. Hot chick lead singer Roxy Epoxy and band mates Shock Diode, Viz Spectrum, Ray Cathodeand Moxie Static explode with a one-two punk rock/no wave punch that will leave you bloodied and curled in a fetal position crying for your mamma. Looking like something off the set of Back To The Future II (that's the one where they actually go to the future, right?), Epoxies dress to the 9s with crazy space-aged getups to match their funky punk rock names. Stop The Future is the band's sophomore album and their first for Fat Wreck Chords. Capturing the energy and excitement of the band's infectious live shows (which have become a thing of legend), the album is a fast paced, pop-infused, 34 minute trip into punk/synth rock perfection. The first single, "Synthesized', is just the tip of the iceberg. Songs like album opener "Radiation", the sexy and seductive "Wind Me Up" and the anthemic "You Kill Me" all burst with thunderous, exceptionally tight musicianship and powerful girl lead and boy back-up vocals. If the tons of records they've already sold on their own is any indication, the release of Stop The Future on Fat should be flying off the shelves in no time.
DecoyMusic.com
By Andrew J. Brawley
The Pacific Northwest can be an unpredictable place. Seattle gave us Peal Jam and Sir Mix-a-Lot at the same time. The Portland Trailblazers came surprisingly close to upsetting the Lakers in the 2000 playoffs (but to no avail). Boise gives us bands like Built To Spill. So to see a new-wave punk band signed to Fat Wreck Chords (a surprise in itself) calling Portland home must have caused a few double-takes in the punk scene. This is the same region of the US where private college students are practically handed a copy of any pre-major label Modest Mouse album upon enrollment.
The Epoxies will be unfortunately pigeon-holed as a Blondie wannabe, but if anything, they wanna be Devo more than Blondie, and that’s much better. The new-wave trademarks are all here: funky fluorescent clothing, wacky sunglasses, and probably more keyboards than band members. Singer Roxy Epoxy’s alto (borderline baritone) vocals even complement the new-wave tag.
Stop The Future is a raw album of no-frills new wave and true punk. This band could have been easily directly transported from the new wave scene of the 80’s, where even a young, hip MTV acknowledged its relevance. However, to call this band retro wouldn’t be fair as The Epoxies care enough to not have every song sound the same in style and formula.
Kudos to producer and mixer Martin Feveyear for making a great new-wave album that could easily be a great punk album if the moog sounds were removed. After a few listens it’s apparent why Fat Wreck went after this band. This is a punk band that is desperately needed by the stagnant punk scene, currently overrun with scream-then-shout “punk” bands who care more about their hair and girls than their neighbor’s unemployment status.
Punknews.org
By Adam
My lasting impression of the 80's (aside from some excellent cartoons based on toy lines) was that it was a pretty silly time musically. The things that were burnt into my then-adolescent brain were the likewise cartoony imagery of bands like Devo or Adam And The Ants, so the recent trend of holding up the 80's as some great untapped well of influence has always seemed a bit revisionist to me. It all seems too sterile, too scrubbed and sanitized by face-saving and dreadfully self-conscious indie sponges. The Epoxies, to their eternal credit, embrace the decade by drawing from its sense of kitschy fun, and that's what ultimately sets them apart (and above) all that trendy mainstream dross.
If there's one thing that's driving me crazy as I dredge the net for opinions of Stop The Future, it's that people are lumping them in with the aforementioned dance-rock trend. That's both lazy journalism and flat out wrong. Far from chasing indie rock glory, the Epoxies have gestated for years in the brilliant pool of punk rock that's been (not so) quietly emerging from the Pacific Northwest. These are peers of the Spits, the Briefs, the Minds, Jeffie Genetic and the late Exploding Hearts. The community of bands that revolves around the Seattle/Portland axis continues to deliver some of the freshest, energetic and most pure-of-spirit punk rock in the US.
To see a staple of that scene brought up in the same breath as the Killers and the Bravery just makes me want to tear my hair out.
If you've been on board since 2002's self-titled effort, then you'll find many familiar elements in play on Stop The Future (yes, even the yodelling). FM Static's synths are still front and centre, interplaying with Roxy's android Debbie Harry vocals. Comparisons to Devo's monotone and the Rezillos' pop energy are inevitable and deserved. Make no mistake though that there's a strong punk band under all the retro-futuristic wrapping, and the Epoxies' song structures aren’t too far off from the Descendents at times. "Radiation" is one of several punk wave rockers that make up the backbone of Stop The Future. Among these is a high-energy treatment of the Scorpions' "Robot Man," and the band makes the song their own. "Everything Looks Beautiful On Video" reins in the tempo a bit and marks a cool throwback to that brief, optimistic time when MTV wasn't a four-letter word. The band experiments with their songwriting on tracks like the choppy "Struggle Like No Other" and the instrumental title track. The album-capping march "Toys" is simply a beautiful song and maybe the most authentic new wave track the Epoxies have ever attempted.
Like their fellow Dirtnap alumni, there's almost an innocent charm to the Epoxies music. They're building on that mythical early time when punk rock represented something more hopeful: a deconstruction and revitalization of the pop model. It's that period of genuine promise before sad, cynical bastards overanalyzed things and spoilt the party for everyone.
San Francisco Guardian
8 Days a Week
By Sean McCourt
Incorporating strains of early new wave and pop-fueled punk into a sonic compound that's flexible yet retains a definite cohesiveness and strength, Portland, Ore.'s Epoxies thrive on fiery and powerful vocals propelled by crunchy guitars, a punchy rhythm section, and electrifying synthesizers aplenty. On their just-released sophomore record, Stop the Future (Fat Wreck Chords), the quintet pump uranium-enriched energy into songs like "Robot Man," "This Day," and "It's You," which ought to send today's new wave wannabes running back to their TV sets to curl up in front of their favorite episode of I Love the '80s and cry. The Groovie Ghoulies open.
Kaffeine Buzz
Music Reviews
By Jef Hoskins
If you didn’t hear The Epoxies’ self-titled debut, you presumably live in a different dimension. But it’s not too late to immerse yourself in all things Epoxie, as they’re back in full sci-fi force with their sophomore LP, Stop The Future.
The message and style remain solid—as they should—with testimonies of techno-paranoia on “Radiation,” (this, from a band that look like they came from a future supernova) gritty ballads and post-love rants (“This Day”), and commentary on the homogenous state of human society (“Synthesized”). And that’s the first three tracks…
The structure is remarkably similar to the first LP, with the most accessible track in the pole position and running a solid race from there with a few particular stand-outs, like “Wind Me Up,” “No Interest” and “At The Seams.”
Every listen to an Epoxies studio recording is a precursor to their live performance: Clad in black-and-white stripes with a single color splash, patched together in duct tape and playing guitars that spit lasers at the audience through a dense fog while Roxie Epoxie writhes robotically, stares through her captive fans, and sings in a twisted manner of melodic and ferocious. Hearing them is awesome; seeing them is like vacationing in a time-warp.
Kaffeine Buzz says: Buy this album and study; your visit from the Epoxies is imminent.
Tablet Magazine
Plugged In
By Dan Halligan
I love the Epoxies; I became obsessed with the band the very first time I saw them live. They brought back keyboard-driven punk like it was the late ‘70s again! Robots, aliens, costumes, smoke, strobe lights, laser beams, hard driving keyboards and guitars—and catchy as hell songs. Of course, it didn’t hurt that singer Roxy Epoxy was simply amazing and had tremendous stage presence. Their first album so wowed me that I must have played it at least 1000 times. I knew there was no way that anything they would do after could compare. Too often bands that have a fantastic debut album just slowly go downhill. Holy shit, was I wrong! The Epoxies’ sophomore album “Stop the Future” on Fat Wreck Chords is better than their debut. They even make a Scorpions song (“Robot Man”) sound amazing. The overall feel of the album is more driven and punk, it’s bursting at the seams with energy, but still is super captivating. The music is denser, layered, thought out, emotionally charged and so right fucking on. Yay!
Agouti Music
Reviews
By Valentine
I used to jog a lot. When I wanted to make sure that I kept a good fast pace, I would listen to something with a good fast pace, like NoFX. They always kept me running. The other night after the Agouti meeting, I popped The Epoxies' Stop the Future in my car. Now, I’m not saying I’m old, but as I have gotten on in years (and received a few speeding tickets), I have started driving like a grandparent, especially at night. With the Epoxies blasting out of my speakers, I was swerving in and out of traffic along 880 and driving well over the 5 mph speed limit buffer I normally keep to.
I don’t think that Stop the Future lets up. It starts out fast and keeps going. The track “No Interest” came on (nine songs in), and the beat was different and maybe a slight bit slower, and I felt a little let down. Maybe it was that I was finally to my exit and slowing the car down so as not flip as I turned into the suburbs because, after further listening, this song isn’t really slow. It just has a different feel. The last song on the album, “Toys,” lets up a little bit, but it’s not a bad thing. It still carries some energy.
The feel is pretty consistent sonically: rock guitars and synths, with driving beats. I believe that the press kit said something about them being new wave, but I didn’t really read it. Listening to this CD might feel a little bit '80s, sonically, but it’s not easy to pigeon-hole The Epoxies’ sound. I’m not saying that this is something new and unique. It feels as if elements are borrowed from other genres but only the most driving elements. The vocals are very commanding. They’re not pretty; instead, they kick ass, just like the instruments. The production on this album is really good, so everything sounds crisp and clean. You can hear everything, and you don’t feel like anything is dominating in the mix.
I’ll be honest: I’m from Oregon, and I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Portland bands. When I was visiting a friend last year, he told me about The Epoxies. He knew I liked synthesizers and the '80s. I wasn’t sure. I’ve kind of quit listening to punk-rock records and figured this would be more of the same. It’s not. The Epoxies have great songs and a lot of energy, and if you like synthesizers and pop-punk, Stop the Future is probably right up your alley. Be ready for more though.
Music Reviews
Review One by Donofthedead
I might not be able to articulate as well as others at this here mag in regards to this band. But I was highly anticipating this release to review and listen. I missed the debut 7" that sold real quick. But the dudes at Razorcake HQ made sure that I heard their self-titled full length. I was blown away like a scrap piece of newspaper on a windy day. That release had a long stay in the CD changer. A lot of bands are playing the second wave of new wave, but like any scene, only a few stand out. This band stands out. On this sophomore release, the production is much stronger and the songwriting has shown a continued maturity. They still have an amazing knack of creating and capturing the melody so that the songs are memorable and keep you humming. The guitars are much more prominent this time around and the quirkiness of the synths are not in the forefront but more complimentary. In turn, the songs have more of a punch that you can feel from a distance. More rock and less novelty. Roxy Epoxy also feels more confident in her vocal delivery. The vocals have more passion and I feel she gives the songs more emotional layers. Overall, they overcome the sophomore curse and put out a release that is so much better than their previous product. If you haven't taken the time to check this band out in the past, now is the time. Portland is kicking some major ass with the latest wave of bands coming out.
RAZORCAKE MAGAZINE
Music Reviews
Review Two by Designated Dale
If anyone makes the snyde remark that the Epoxies are an '80s rehash band, then their eyes must be dark brown due to the fact that they're full of shit. Yes, the Epoxies borrow a half-cup of this and a dash and a bit of that from some of what reared its head in the '80s, but it's what they do with it that makes them so damn good when it comes to making records. There's the winding synth that's right in there with the pummeling rhythm section and rocking guitar, but it's a pleasing mix that ain't too rough/experimental, yet not too overproduced or slick like some of the clove cigarette smoke-filled, new-romantic dance hall slime that was spinning in the past. Roxy's singing is a bit hard to put a finger on, but try to think of a young Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders) with the vocal meter of a young Leonard Graves (Dickies). Kudos to the Fat Wreck Chords folks for getting this second rekkid out in the hands of soon-to-be fans. While you're out doing yourself the favor of grabbing this, do yourself another and get their debut full length on Dirtnap. both CDs will have you bobbing your head like a crack-ridden chicken in seconds flat (It's true - it happened to me the first time I saw them blow the roof off The Echo in L.A. a few years ago).
AMP MAGAZINE
Music Reviews
Review One by RK
2nd LP from the New Wavers putting the keyboards back into punk. Truly terrific, and more than justifying all the accords that have been heaped upon them. Think the BUZZCOCKS, playing on the first CARS album, with GARY NUMAN providing the keyboards. Or imagine what the REZILLOS would've sounded like with a damn good synth. All this and more. Truly, believe the hype....
AMP MAGAZINE
Music Reviews
Review Two by MWB
THE EPOXIES are one of the most underrated bands out there today. Their debut LP came out on Dirtnap Records, so it didn’t get a whole lot of exposure until a year or two after it came out. Their inclusion on the Rock Against Bush comp definitely helped, and now here we find them on Fat Wreck, a huge jump forward for the band, which will hopefully get them the attention they deserve. THE EPOXIES are the undisputed champs of 80’s synth-pop-punk, if that is even a genre. Great songs, great vocals, amazing energy, and just an all-around good time, THE EPOXIES are exactly what the scene needs – something fun and unique. Stop the Future blows away any and all of the band’s previous efforts, with no one song standing head and shoulders above the rest – they’re all equally amazing.
MONDOGORDO.COM
Record Reviews
BY REV. KEITH A. GORDON
Lost amid all this brouhaha over nuevo wave-o bands like the Bravery, the Killers, et al is the charm of the two-and-a-half-minute pop song. While all these '80s throwback critical darlings fill up every corner of a tune with blaring synths and chirpy rhythms, they've also ignored new wave's punk roots. Not so with the Epoxies, as bouncy a bunch of decade-obsessed young punks as you're likely to stumble across. Equal parts X-Ray Spex and Katrina and the Waves, Epoxies mine the same sort of fertile musical vein as their better-known contemporaries, but with more punkish glee and joi de vivre...and you'll only find one song on Stop The Future clocking in at more than the three minute mark. Stop The Future, the Portland, Oregon band's second full-length album, cleverly puts the Epoxies' secret weapon up front and on display. Singer Roxy Epoxy, the band's namesake, has the same sort of vocal presence and warbling tone that made Deborah Harry such a hot commodity back in the day. Throw in a dash of obvious artistic antecedents as Lene Lovich, Poly Styrene and Pearl Harbour, and you have the perfect sound to front Epoxies' imaginative blend of sci-fi angst and modern electronic alienation. Stop The Future hits the ground running with "Radiation," the sort of larger-than-life, guitar-and-synth duel that pushes the song into overdrive as Epoxy sings some coded lyrics about disinformation on her TV set poisoning her mind. From this point the band doesn't stop kicking, keeping the VU meter well into the red until the final, fading notes. Now kiddies, the Reverend hasn't had this much fun with a record album since the Catholic Girls stirred up all kinds of sinful thoughts back in 1982 with their self-titled romp. Call it punk-pop, power-pop or even new wave, the Epoxies deliver plenty of three-chord thrills-and-chills with Stop The Future. "Robot Man" is a marvelous commentary on the alienating nature of modern society, delivered with throaty, electrifying vocals, a call-and-response styled chorus and synth riffs thicker than the London fog. "Everything Looks Beautiful On Video" is another thinly veiled commentary disguised as a song about lost love, the fantasy that surrounds much romance, and how technology helps us freeze a moment in time. The title track begins with a throbbing bassline and oscillating synthesizer before descending into a full-blown tribal drumfest, a mostly-instrumental workout with a few yelped vocals that provides a better perspective of the dark clouds on the horizon than any lyrics could. Unlike the growing ranks of their musical contemporaries, the Epoxies would have been just as comfortable back in 1980 as they are some twenty-five years later. Evoking fond memories of the Go-Gos, the Bangles, Blondie, the Catholic Girls and other practitioners of the three-minute big beat aesthetic, look no further than Stop The Future if you want to travel forward into the past to get your '80s groove on.
ADD ZINE ONLINE
EPOXIES "Stop The Future" CD
Calling the Epoxies a new wave band is almost a crime against humanity. Sure the synths are prominent in the bands arsenal of sound, but there's far more going on beneath the retro surface. Under all the duct tape outfits, wacky sunglasses, and other thrift store apparel there's a tight fucking band fronted by a dominating female singer whose vocal chops could spar with Debbie Harry. The bands 2002 debut on Seattle based label Dirtnap Records was well received by judgmental jaded pricks (music journalists) like myself for it's impressive musicianship and songwriting rather than the bands resurrection of vintage new wave sounds and parafanalia. See I review a lot of crap and I've listened to many a promo CD over the past fifteen years where a band tried to use a gimmick to sell records and the Epoxies are not from that ilk. If you look past the garb and futuristic song titles like "Radiation" and "Synthesized" you'll find a band who know what it takes to make you move, whether it's mentally or physically.
"Stop the Future" is the bands sophomore effort and debut release on prominent independent record label Fat Wreck Chords from San Francisco. The CD starts off with "Radiation" a song that picks up where the 2002 debut left off with it's heavy synth driven leads and upfront female vocals. The band does however change the tempo and mood throughout the course of the CD with emotional songs like "Everything Looks Beautiful On Video" and the anthematic "Toys". But perhaps my favorite song on the CD is the schizophrenic cover of "Robot Man" by the Scorpions. Wish I could do the whistling part of "Winds of Change" for comic effect but we are on CPU here folks. It's hard to rate the two albums by this band against each other because people are always going to be nostalgic for the bands debut in the same way people talk about Against Me's debut on No Idea. But the Epoxies have expanded on their original blueprint just like Against Me! did on "As The Eternal Cowboy" without tearing down the whole structure and rebuilding from scratch. So from a technical aspect I would say that yes, "Stop The Future" is even more impressive than the bands debut release.
THREE IMAGINARY GIRLS
Reviews
By Bill Bullock
It seems like the conventional critical wisdom on The Epoxies in to peg them as a throwback 80's new wave nostalgia act and safely file them away in the kitsch drawer; a fun, fluffy band in funny costumes that shouldn't be taken too seriously. To do so, however, is to miss the huge, bloody heart that pumps away madly inside their cyborg body. Like all the best sci-fi, the lasting appeal of The Epoxies is that they have dressed up some very basic-yet-powerful stuff about love, alienation, and power in the trappings of lasers, robots, and geeky futurism.
They are also — and I can't stress this enough — massively catchy. We're talking can't-get-a-song-out-of-your-head-for-three-weeks-straight, serotonin-re-uptake-inhibiting, brain-aneurysm-inducing catchy. If you've heard them at all, you know what I mean. If you haven't, you need to. Don't say I didn't warn you. It also doesn't hurt that lead singer Roxy Epoxy, the love-child of Gary Numan and Siouxsie Sioux if ever there was one, has utterly killer pipes as well as this reviewer's hands-down vote as totally best fawking frontwoman ever personally witnessed by him.
So now that we've gotten through with the introductions, we can heave a sigh of relief that all of these elements are on display par excellence on The Epoxies newest disc, Stop The Future. Right off the bat the listener gets zapped in the ears with "Radiation," an infectious ode to the twin joys of paranoia and propaganda, followed closely by "Synthesized," a track that will be familiar to long term Epoxies from its release a few years ago as a seven inch (a release, it should be noted, that true pop fans should try to get their hands on at any cost due to the b-side inclusion of an utterly mind-blowing cover of Alice Cooper's "Clones (We're All)" that takes a song that was already pretty damn good and unequivocally owns it for the rest of fucking time).
In a way, because the band is so consistently good, it takes really insanely great tracks to truly stand out, the album's first being "Wind Me Up," a frenetic shot of sonic adrenaline that seethes with motor-mouthed venom and an undeniable energy that surely has it at the top of the charts in a more fair parallel universe. Undoubtedly only a few slots below it on the bizarro charts are "Everything Looks Beautiful On Video," which sounds like the lost love song David Cronenburg might have written while filming Videodrome, then got Debbie Harry to record between her scenes, and "No Interest," a tongue-in-cheek little Ocasek-ian gem about the perils of credit card culture.
The band saves the real smack in the head song for last though, a bonafide jaw-dropper called "Toys," that displays The Epoxies genuine emotional punch, playfulness and ungodly skill with a hook in equal parts. Acknowledging the band's new wave forebearers like New Order and Numan while looking boldly toward the next stage of their own evolution, the track should leave listener's slobbering for what's to come. If this is the future for The Epoxies, then by all means bring it on.
INSIDE KNOWLEDGE
Reviews
By Martijn
Looking like they’re on a date with the Briefs and with a sound roughly equivalent to Devo’s nerdish extremism and synthesized growl, The Epoxies take on the world with yet another record. Sure an electro-futuristic music and a chick singer sound like it has nothing to do with punk, but wasn’t punk all about being an outcast in the first place? Well, outcast Epoxies you shall be! You see, this might’ve been huge in the 80’s and might be never be hip in any scene of today, which is a pity cos this is really REALLY amaing stuff I’ve never heard anything like! The band rocks with everything, including guitar riffs, synthesizers, yodeling and forceful beats but its mainly guitars and drums and I gotta say I like the aspect of doing something totally new and I believe this is most certainly high quality music and worth a spin no matter how weird their reviews might sound.
Alternative Press
Reviews
By Waleed Rashidi
The Epoxies' new wave/punk hybrid is a grab bag of goodness: Roxy Epoxy's fantastic lead vocals, her bandmates' solid backing musicianship, and respectable production quality to boot. Sounding like a face-lifted, punk-infused version of Missing Persons' best stuff, the Epoxies' sophomore album is an enjoyable listen that discerningly extracts only the finer qualities of Reagen-era rock-and rightfully ditches the decades unwanted excess. Still, for being somewhat rooted in the past, Stop the Future feels remarkably current, and the songs like "Wind Me Up" and "everything Looks Beautiful on Video" simply destroy. Don't bother dusting off your old vinyl for that instant flashback fix-just drop in this disc.
RUMINATOR
Quick Takes: CDs
The Epoxies Stop the Future Fat Wreck Chords The Epoxies are a rare find—a terrific live band whose infectious on-stage enthusiasm translates palpably to their recorded work. Stop the Future, their second full-length release, bubbles and crackles with kinetic energy, thanks to their Devo-meets-the-Ramones mix of swirling new-wave synthesizers and poppy, punky guitars (and to awesome frontwoman Roxy Epoxy’s vocals, which jump from seductive to sly to crowd-rockin’ yelp a good three times every song). But what’s really surprising is Future’s emotional heft. Underneath the loud-and-fast tunes about robots and lasers, the Epoxies have plenty to say about the numbing effect of mass culture. Fortunately, with an album this good and this immediate, they’ve also managed to create an antidote to that numbing. Take as needed. Or more.
THE REBEL YELL
Music Notes: THE EPOXIES
By Amy Meyer
An electro-futuristic music and a chick singer -- what more could someone ask for? The only thing that comes to mind is the Epoxies' babe singer, Roxy Epoxy, rockin' along side her band. Epoxy and her band mates bring a rock beat that mixes early punk and new wave on their sophomore release "Stop The Future."
The band rocks with everything, including guitar riffs, synthesizers, yodeling and forceful beats. Their self-titled album starts with "Radiation," a song that combines an abundance of synthesizers in sync with Roxy's vocals. The song makes a lot of reference to television; in fact, the subject of television comes up quite often in the lyrics.
The vocals are sassy and upbeat, which keep listeners in tune. The band possesses an '80s feel with more of an abundance of guitar and drums than just electronic beats.
Some of the best tracks on the album include "Struggle Like No Other," "It's You" and "Robot Man." It is hard to say any of the tracks are bad since the whole album flows without one hit of the skip button.
Look for the Epoxies' debut album on Fat Wreck Chords on May 17. After the release, look for them on their six-week tour with the Aquabats, then on a fall package tour with fellow Fat Wreck Chords bands.
THE PORTLAND MERCURY 5/12/2005
By Adam Gnade
Hey Portland, get ready to see another one of your own go mega-huge. After the Epoxies' new rec, STOP THE FUTURE, drops on Tuesday, Gwen Stefani will be asking them to open for her, MTV (or at least it's slutty cousin "2") will come calling, and all sorts of Orange County dickwads will be sizing them up for TV show soundtracks. This isn't a good or bad thing; it's just inevitable. Led by wide-eyed singer Roxy Epoxy - who's eternally wrapped in multicolored Technicolor caution tape, cartwheeling across the nation's stages like a punk Betty Boop - The Epoxies have made a great, exciting new record. (Think DEVO, only cuter.) With popstar heart and indierock brains, STOP is the kind of thing mainstream audiences are gonna lose their collectice caca over and real fast. Prepare for the deluge.
THE PITCH
The Epoxies Stop the Future (Fat Wreck)
By Andrew Miller
A popular explanation for the latest new-wave revival holds that listeners are seeking a return to fun, sexy songs. That theory might be true, but it ignores the genre's intellectual appeal. In the '80s, new wave was to music what science fiction is to literature. Songwriters explored societal alienation and technological terrors, then packaged their paranoia-ridden product with interstellar-travel-ready outfits and glitzy keyboard melodies. The Epoxies' Stop the Future revisits those heady times, but instead of pondering tomorrow's threats, it cowers from today's widely accepted appliances. In Roxy Epoxy's lyrics, televisions and microwaves hide mind-control mechanisms, and the "fate of humankind" is at stake. Her dead-serious delivery sells her smartly constructed scenarios, which are rich with double meanings and abrupt about-faces. As for new wave's visceral thrills, The Epoxies do fun-and-sexy better than any suit-clad British boys. Epoxy's voice recalls Debbie Harry's -- in her Videodrome performance as an alluringly erotic virtual-reality temptress more than her relatively demure Blondie vocals -- and the group's cyberpunk hooks evoke the Descendents at their catchiest.
KWVARADIO
From Rocco's earholes, brain, and computer 5/5/05
By Rocco
Is it too early to declare The Epoxies album Stop The Future one of the best of 2005? I haven't been this excited about a record since Modern Kicks by the late and great Exploding Hearts (whom this album is partially dedicated too). Fellow Portland, Oregonians The Epoxies return with a vengeance in this some what conceptualized album: STOP THE FUTURE. This masterpiece of synth guitar pop is a woven electronic tapestry of songs about: RADIATION, TELEVISION, THOUGHT CONTROL, ROBOTS, MICROWAVES, LAZER BEAMS, and the kind of love you might find in ORWELL'S 1984. Don't be quick to dismiss this as a '80 retro rip off. Sure we can connect the dots to the classic style of: NUMAN, MISSING PERSONS, BERLIN, FLOCK OF SEAGULLS, THE PRETENDERS, and THE CLASH (to mention a few) but The Epoxies stand on their own two android feet with this album. Listen carefully and we find sharp layered lyricism paired with brilliant song and musician craft that seems to transcend and reinvent this genre. (everything seems to fit together flawlessly)
Cliff note version of my review: Do I like this album? You bet your sweet ass I do!
All tracks are worthy of air play. #2 says FUCK at :28 seconds. Faves include: 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10...ahh hell play them all. Treat yourself and listen to the whole thing more than once and you will know why The EPOXIES can STOP THE FUTURE.
THE STRANGER 5/12/05
Up and Coming
By JENNIFER MAERZ
Stop the Future is an apt title for Portland's new-wave art popsters the Epoxies. Their synth-heavy tracks are firmly lodged in the weirder side of the Me Decade, when neon hues tagged more than just the costumes of many chart-topping artists and early L.A. punk acts alike. The band's follow-up to their successful Dirtnap debut pogos across the same territory as its predecessor--ebullient day-glo pop punk given extra buoyancy by frontwoman Roxy Epoxy, whose galactic range could give Gwen Stefani direction in keeping-it-real divadom any day. Over 13 tracks, the Epoxies ride an erratic time capsule back to the days when MTV was a music channel, most successfully on the aptly titled "Wind Me Up" and "Everything Looks Beautiful on Video" which turns the story of a post-breakup blur into a hit that shimmers with disco-ball glitz.
TRIPWIRE 5/8/05
Features
By Matt DuFour
Portland, Oregon's Epoxies will kick your ass. Hot chick lead singer Roxy Epoxy and band mates Shock Diode, Viz Spectrum, Ray Cathodeand Moxie Static explode with a one-two punk rock/no wave punch that will leave you bloodied and curled in a fetal position crying for your mamma. Looking like something off the set of Back To The Future II (that's the one where they actually go to the future, right?), Epoxies dress to the 9s with crazy space-aged getups to match their funky punk rock names. Stop The Future is the band's sophomore album and their first for Fat Wreck Chords. Capturing the energy and excitement of the band's infectious live shows (which have become a thing of legend), the album is a fast paced, pop-infused, 34 minute trip into punk/synth rock perfection. The first single, "Synthesized', is just the tip of the iceberg. Songs like album opener "Radiation", the sexy and seductive "Wind Me Up" and the anthemic "You Kill Me" all burst with thunderous, exceptionally tight musicianship and powerful girl lead and boy back-up vocals. If the tons of records they've already sold on their own is any indication, the release of Stop The Future on Fat should be flying off the shelves in no time.
DecoyMusic.com
By Andrew J. Brawley
The Pacific Northwest can be an unpredictable place. Seattle gave us Peal Jam and Sir Mix-a-Lot at the same time. The Portland Trailblazers came surprisingly close to upsetting the Lakers in the 2000 playoffs (but to no avail). Boise gives us bands like Built To Spill. So to see a new-wave punk band signed to Fat Wreck Chords (a surprise in itself) calling Portland home must have caused a few double-takes in the punk scene. This is the same region of the US where private college students are practically handed a copy of any pre-major label Modest Mouse album upon enrollment.
The Epoxies will be unfortunately pigeon-holed as a Blondie wannabe, but if anything, they wanna be Devo more than Blondie, and that’s much better. The new-wave trademarks are all here: funky fluorescent clothing, wacky sunglasses, and probably more keyboards than band members. Singer Roxy Epoxy’s alto (borderline baritone) vocals even complement the new-wave tag.
Stop The Future is a raw album of no-frills new wave and true punk. This band could have been easily directly transported from the new wave scene of the 80’s, where even a young, hip MTV acknowledged its relevance. However, to call this band retro wouldn’t be fair as The Epoxies care enough to not have every song sound the same in style and formula.
Kudos to producer and mixer Martin Feveyear for making a great new-wave album that could easily be a great punk album if the moog sounds were removed. After a few listens it’s apparent why Fat Wreck went after this band. This is a punk band that is desperately needed by the stagnant punk scene, currently overrun with scream-then-shout “punk” bands who care more about their hair and girls than their neighbor’s unemployment status.
Punknews.org
By Adam
My lasting impression of the 80's (aside from some excellent cartoons based on toy lines) was that it was a pretty silly time musically. The things that were burnt into my then-adolescent brain were the likewise cartoony imagery of bands like Devo or Adam And The Ants, so the recent trend of holding up the 80's as some great untapped well of influence has always seemed a bit revisionist to me. It all seems too sterile, too scrubbed and sanitized by face-saving and dreadfully self-conscious indie sponges. The Epoxies, to their eternal credit, embrace the decade by drawing from its sense of kitschy fun, and that's what ultimately sets them apart (and above) all that trendy mainstream dross.
If there's one thing that's driving me crazy as I dredge the net for opinions of Stop The Future, it's that people are lumping them in with the aforementioned dance-rock trend. That's both lazy journalism and flat out wrong. Far from chasing indie rock glory, the Epoxies have gestated for years in the brilliant pool of punk rock that's been (not so) quietly emerging from the Pacific Northwest. These are peers of the Spits, the Briefs, the Minds, Jeffie Genetic and the late Exploding Hearts. The community of bands that revolves around the Seattle/Portland axis continues to deliver some of the freshest, energetic and most pure-of-spirit punk rock in the US.
To see a staple of that scene brought up in the same breath as the Killers and the Bravery just makes me want to tear my hair out.
If you've been on board since 2002's self-titled effort, then you'll find many familiar elements in play on Stop The Future (yes, even the yodelling). FM Static's synths are still front and centre, interplaying with Roxy's android Debbie Harry vocals. Comparisons to Devo's monotone and the Rezillos' pop energy are inevitable and deserved. Make no mistake though that there's a strong punk band under all the retro-futuristic wrapping, and the Epoxies' song structures aren’t too far off from the Descendents at times. "Radiation" is one of several punk wave rockers that make up the backbone of Stop The Future. Among these is a high-energy treatment of the Scorpions' "Robot Man," and the band makes the song their own. "Everything Looks Beautiful On Video" reins in the tempo a bit and marks a cool throwback to that brief, optimistic time when MTV wasn't a four-letter word. The band experiments with their songwriting on tracks like the choppy "Struggle Like No Other" and the instrumental title track. The album-capping march "Toys" is simply a beautiful song and maybe the most authentic new wave track the Epoxies have ever attempted.
Like their fellow Dirtnap alumni, there's almost an innocent charm to the Epoxies music. They're building on that mythical early time when punk rock represented something more hopeful: a deconstruction and revitalization of the pop model. It's that period of genuine promise before sad, cynical bastards overanalyzed things and spoilt the party for everyone.
San Francisco Guardian
8 Days a Week
By Sean McCourt
Incorporating strains of early new wave and pop-fueled punk into a sonic compound that's flexible yet retains a definite cohesiveness and strength, Portland, Ore.'s Epoxies thrive on fiery and powerful vocals propelled by crunchy guitars, a punchy rhythm section, and electrifying synthesizers aplenty. On their just-released sophomore record, Stop the Future (Fat Wreck Chords), the quintet pump uranium-enriched energy into songs like "Robot Man," "This Day," and "It's You," which ought to send today's new wave wannabes running back to their TV sets to curl up in front of their favorite episode of I Love the '80s and cry. The Groovie Ghoulies open.
Kaffeine Buzz
Music Reviews
By Jef Hoskins
If you didn’t hear The Epoxies’ self-titled debut, you presumably live in a different dimension. But it’s not too late to immerse yourself in all things Epoxie, as they’re back in full sci-fi force with their sophomore LP, Stop The Future.
The message and style remain solid—as they should—with testimonies of techno-paranoia on “Radiation,” (this, from a band that look like they came from a future supernova) gritty ballads and post-love rants (“This Day”), and commentary on the homogenous state of human society (“Synthesized”). And that’s the first three tracks…
The structure is remarkably similar to the first LP, with the most accessible track in the pole position and running a solid race from there with a few particular stand-outs, like “Wind Me Up,” “No Interest” and “At The Seams.”
Every listen to an Epoxies studio recording is a precursor to their live performance: Clad in black-and-white stripes with a single color splash, patched together in duct tape and playing guitars that spit lasers at the audience through a dense fog while Roxie Epoxie writhes robotically, stares through her captive fans, and sings in a twisted manner of melodic and ferocious. Hearing them is awesome; seeing them is like vacationing in a time-warp.
Kaffeine Buzz says: Buy this album and study; your visit from the Epoxies is imminent.
Tablet Magazine
Plugged In
By Dan Halligan
I love the Epoxies; I became obsessed with the band the very first time I saw them live. They brought back keyboard-driven punk like it was the late ‘70s again! Robots, aliens, costumes, smoke, strobe lights, laser beams, hard driving keyboards and guitars—and catchy as hell songs. Of course, it didn’t hurt that singer Roxy Epoxy was simply amazing and had tremendous stage presence. Their first album so wowed me that I must have played it at least 1000 times. I knew there was no way that anything they would do after could compare. Too often bands that have a fantastic debut album just slowly go downhill. Holy shit, was I wrong! The Epoxies’ sophomore album “Stop the Future” on Fat Wreck Chords is better than their debut. They even make a Scorpions song (“Robot Man”) sound amazing. The overall feel of the album is more driven and punk, it’s bursting at the seams with energy, but still is super captivating. The music is denser, layered, thought out, emotionally charged and so right fucking on. Yay!
Agouti Music
Reviews
By Valentine
I used to jog a lot. When I wanted to make sure that I kept a good fast pace, I would listen to something with a good fast pace, like NoFX. They always kept me running. The other night after the Agouti meeting, I popped The Epoxies' Stop the Future in my car. Now, I’m not saying I’m old, but as I have gotten on in years (and received a few speeding tickets), I have started driving like a grandparent, especially at night. With the Epoxies blasting out of my speakers, I was swerving in and out of traffic along 880 and driving well over the 5 mph speed limit buffer I normally keep to.
I don’t think that Stop the Future lets up. It starts out fast and keeps going. The track “No Interest” came on (nine songs in), and the beat was different and maybe a slight bit slower, and I felt a little let down. Maybe it was that I was finally to my exit and slowing the car down so as not flip as I turned into the suburbs because, after further listening, this song isn’t really slow. It just has a different feel. The last song on the album, “Toys,” lets up a little bit, but it’s not a bad thing. It still carries some energy.
The feel is pretty consistent sonically: rock guitars and synths, with driving beats. I believe that the press kit said something about them being new wave, but I didn’t really read it. Listening to this CD might feel a little bit '80s, sonically, but it’s not easy to pigeon-hole The Epoxies’ sound. I’m not saying that this is something new and unique. It feels as if elements are borrowed from other genres but only the most driving elements. The vocals are very commanding. They’re not pretty; instead, they kick ass, just like the instruments. The production on this album is really good, so everything sounds crisp and clean. You can hear everything, and you don’t feel like anything is dominating in the mix.
I’ll be honest: I’m from Oregon, and I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Portland bands. When I was visiting a friend last year, he told me about The Epoxies. He knew I liked synthesizers and the '80s. I wasn’t sure. I’ve kind of quit listening to punk-rock records and figured this would be more of the same. It’s not. The Epoxies have great songs and a lot of energy, and if you like synthesizers and pop-punk, Stop the Future is probably right up your alley. Be ready for more though.