“Cigar enthusiast and man about Brisbane town Conwae Burrell has been writing and performing music under the name Extrafoxx for over a decade. His simple songs of love, loss and domestic resignation have become a late night soundtrack to many down and out weirdos – including myself. With new LP ‘Love Is God’, we get 10 great new songs to sigh alone too. It is also arguably his most realised and coherent release to date.

The production of the album is sparse and an example of why expensive studios aren’t always necessary to produce worthwhile music. Most of the arrangements involve just Burrell’s slightly distorted vocals and a casually strummed acoustic guitar. Extra instrumentation comes in the form of percussion from Per Purpose drummer and Bedroom Suck Records chief Joe Alexander. There are also occasionally some backing vocals that are credited to the ‘Warburton St. Choir’, named after a street in the serene yet mundane inner city suburb of Bardon where the album was recorded. Extrafoxx has always sounded distinctly Brisbane, and one can almost hear the late afternoon golden sun shining lethargically through the paint chipped windows of a dilapidated queenslander house. Right into your confused sunburnt face.

A true master of the bedroom pop song, Burrell captures with wonderful honesty the sad, lonely joy that is an idle human existence. Opening track ‘Obsessed’ sets things up well, featuring 3 basic chords and lyrics about being obsessed with pastry chefs or something. ‘Fanatic Rail’ is a little more upbeat, featuring the aforementioned Warburton St. Choir and a bunch of ‘ooh la la’ vocals in classic pop fashion. My personal favourite is ‘I Love You’, an ingeniously simple song about heartache and loss, complete with a chorus that soars as you soak up the understated emotions present. Burrell sings these great melodies effortlessly and without any urgency or force. There is nothing self-pitying or morose about his delivery, this music is full of class from an interesting character still in control of his dignity. Extrafoxx could possibly be the most laid back roll n roll star Brisbane has ever produced.

The 10 songs on ‘Love Is God’ never deviate from the standard pop chords and melodies that music listeners have heard a million times before. The musicianship is basic and no one involved here will be winning awards for technical proficiency any time soon. What stands out with Extrafoxx is the strength of personality. Conwae Burrell sings his songs with the kind of humbling honesty that most other musicians would find impossible to express themselves. There is a lot of heart present on ‘Love Is God’, and as sedated as it all might sound, a strong sense of optimism does shines through. Right into your confused sunburnt face.”

– Matt Kennedy.

 

Discography
The Saddest Tape/Cd-r on Bedroom Suck Records

Pierre Le Rat CD on Unique Beautiful Flowers

Extrafoxx CD on Fuzz Pop Records

Love Is God Tape/Cd-r on Alberts Basement/Unique Beautiful Flowers