As the album cover of …And Star Power appeared, I knew this wasn’t going to be the Foxygen of old; too simplistic for the transcendent minds of Sam French and Jonathan Rado.

With the near implosions of Foxygen shortly before recording, no one was certain how the concept album of …And Star Power would fair. Could the California psychedelic duo reach the same success as debut album, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic?

The 82 minute long double album is described by JagJaguwar as 24 tracks of “Soft-rock indulgences, D&D doomrock and paranoid bathroom rompers, ”and includes collaborations with the likes of Wayne Coyne, Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes, Tim Presley of White Fence, and Bleached.

As the journey of …And Star Power begins, we’re greeted with the catchy pop-driven psychedelic singles of “How Can You Really” followed by the slower, organ heavy, “Cosmic Vibrations”. “You and I” provides an intriguing Lou Reed influenced segue into the next step of the album, which includes Star Power I-IV, but don’t expect your usual Foxygen from this point on. Once “Star Power I” engages, there’s no turning back; you’re in its emotionally unstable universe of sound now.

Star Power I acts as the set up for the rest of the Star Power chapter of the album as it reaches its peak during “Star Power III: What Are We Good For”. The blend of horns and running bass-line as Star Power III progresses gives it the nod of being the catchiest track on the album. All stories must come to end, and Star Power IV does that as it lulls you into “I Don’t Have Anything/The Gate” which could realistically be the end of the album, but why end on a mild note?

The destination still hasn’t been reached as we are guided on a rollercoaster by progressive psychedelic rock sounds of old with highlights in “Wally’s Farm” and “Hot Summer.” Foxygen provides a plethora of upbeat sound until the album is halted by the low-fi, dark space-rock boom of “Cold Winter/Freedom”. Where is this album going now? The answer is the simplest on the album, everywhere and nowhere as there is no coherent train of musical thought seen as elements of experimental rock, psychedelic folk, and classic 70’s hard rock battle through tracks such as “The Game” and “Talk”.

As your heart beats out of rhythm the chimes of “Everyone Needs Love” signals that the end is near, and just maybe the old Foxygen is back with the classic progressive tone that graced the beginning stages of the album. They wind down the emotional piece that is …And Star Power with “Hang,” which asks “Would you let me know if I’m no good for you?,” and ends with a kooky outro that lets you know that the ride is over.

Well Foxygen, I’ll let you know if when you’re no good for me, but in the meantime I’ll hang with this album, which arrives on October 14. You can stream the album in full via NPR First Listen until that date.

Tracklist:
01. Star Power Airlines
02. How Can You Really
03. Coulda Been My Love
04. Cosmic Vibrations
05. You & I
06. Star Power I: Overture
07. Star Power II: Star Power Nite
08. Star Power III: What Are We Good For
09. Star Power IV: Ooh Ooh
10. I Don’t Have Anything/The Gate
11. Mattress Warehouse
12. 666
13 Flowers
14. Wally’s Farm
15. Cannibal Holocaust
16. Hot Summer
17. Cold Winter/Freedom
18. Can’t Contextualize My Mind
19. Brooklyn Police Station
20. The Game
21. Freedom II
22. Talk
23. Everyone Needs Love
24. Hang

Check out Foxygen on their extensive fall tour, which continues tonight in Atlanta:

10-01 Atlanta, GA – The Loft #
10-02 Nashville, TN – Exit/IN #
10-03 Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel #
10-04 Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater #
10-05 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club #
10-08 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg #
10-09 New York, NY – Webster Hall
10-10 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer #
10-11 Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club #
10-12 Montreal, Quebec – Le National #%
10-14 Toronto, Ontario – The Mod Club #
10-15 Pontiac, MI – Crofoot Ballroom #
10-16 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall #
10-17 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall #
10-18 Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Music Café #
10-20 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater #
10-21 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge #
10-29 Brighton, England – Komedia
10-30 Manchester, England – Ruby Lounge
10-31 London, England – Village Underground
11-01 Paris, France – Pitchfork Music Festival Paris
11-03 Brussels, Belgium – Botanique
11-04 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Tolhuistuin
11-05 Berlin, Germany – Frannz
11-06 Copenhagen, Denmark – Pumpehuset
11-09 Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest

* with Woods
^ with Steve Gunn
# with Dub Thompson
$ with Gary Wilson
% with Heat