Twin Foxes
New Music

Green Reflections in the Distorted Forest: TWIN FOXES’ journey through time and loss

5 mins read

Providence indie-punk trio Twin Foxes have carved their path in raw emotion and a deep connection to their surroundings, culminating in their third LP, Green, It’s All Around You. Engineered and mixed by frontman Jared Mann at their woodland studio, Distorted Forest, the album captures the band’s evolution while maintaining their penchant for authenticity.

This time, Mann brought the woods into the record—literally. The main guitar on the opening track was recorded outdoors, with the wind and birds forming part of the landscape.

The themes of Green, It’s All Around You are as natural and visceral as its setting. From confronting regret and self-doubt to cherishing fleeting moments, the record flows like a journal set to music. Twin Foxes blend their indie-punk roots with heavier overtones, embodying the unpredictability and weight of life. Recorded almost entirely live, the album achieves an immediacy that resonates.

Twin Foxes
“The cover art was taken with a 35mm disposable camera that got water damaged from a dumped canoe on Indian Lake in Maine. I was on a trip with several music friends right before my wedding. I think it encapsulated the feel of the record perfectly.” – comments the band

The personal stakes are highest on “The House We Built,” a reflection on Mann’s relationship with his late father. Written during a time of loss, the track is a raw yet hopeful tribute to the imperfect beauty of family. Elsewhere, “Good,” a decade-old song finally recorded, channels perseverance amidst overwhelming challenges. Tracks like “Wounded Dog” and “Small Stakes” explore the cycles of self-destruction and the need for self-compassion, while “Pinnacle” and “This Is Real” emphasize mindfulness in the face of life’s uncertainty.

Mastered by Justin Pizzoferrato (Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth), the album carries an analog warmth that pairs seamlessly with its themes. The water-damaged 35mm photo gracing the cover encapsulates the record’s ethos—a mix of serendipity, nostalgia, and imperfection. From the haunting finality of “This Is Real” to the hopeful reflection of “What Matters Now,” the record is a vivid snapshot of a band embracing the beauty and messiness of existence.

Twin Foxes’ connection to Providence’s tight-knit music scene is another thread running through their story.

“We are lucky enough to be a part of a vibrant music scene in Providence, RI.” – says the band. “There are a ton of great bands here.  I’ve had the pleasure of engineering and mixing a lot of them over the years at our studio, Distorted Forest.”

“Some of our favorite locals here are Holiday Music, Snowplows, Exploding Zones, Psychic Graveyard, Saffrey, The Hammer Party, THERE, Department of Teleportation, Minibeast, Older Brother, Sullest, and SWRM.”

Twin Foxes

With the album out now digitally and a vinyl release on the horizon, Twin Foxes continue to bridge the personal and universal. Their themes of time, loss, and resilience offer plenty to ponder.

Read our full track-by-track commentary below, where the band dives deeper into the stories and meanings behind Green, It’s All Around You. Topics range from sobriety and self-discovery to the catharsis of live recording and the album’s most intricate arrangements.

1. Intro – This is the thematic sonic setup for the record. The main guitar is actually recorded outside of our studio in the woods. All the birds and wind are from that one take.

2. Wounded Dog – This track is about someone playing the victim. I’ve seen people make the same mistakes and run the same lap, especially when clouded by alcohol. I’ve honestly been there too. In this case, this person is somewhat self-aware but willing to play the part to receive sympathy. They finally start sobering up after meeting someone they aren’t willing to lose.

3. Start A Band – This one has some of my favorite lyrics on the record. It’s about being in a band as a young person and not really thinking about the future otherwise. The protagonist in the story feels he is owed something for the time he put in and questions if it was worth it. By the end of the song, he realizes those big moments were there all along when he finally looks back on the whole thing.

Twin Foxes

4. Good – This song is about sacrificing something for the greater good. I think people often feel they can’t affect things just as one person. Living in these times with technology, politics, and environmental issues…it’s all overwhelming, but this is a reminder to try and keep your head straight and do good in whatever ways you can. Funny enough, this was one of the first songs we wrote as a band a decade ago. We finally recorded it and somehow it fit perfectly on this record.

5. Pinnacle – This is about being at a peak in your life, and maybe not being fully aware at the time. Later it’s a period you often look back on and reminisce about. So much of life is a guess in a lot of ways. It’s easy to get caught up in things you can’t control, convincing yourself you’re right, and in turn, missing the moments happening right in front of you. When things are seemingly good, it’s best to be present and just enjoy them.

6. Crossed – This song is about unintentionally hurting someone you care about. After somewhat blaming yourself, you realize you’re just doing the best you can. One of my favorite instrumental sections comes at the end of this song.

7. Time Is On Your Side – This one is about the anxiety of time. I often have the drive to do a lot, maybe too much. It recalls a time of sleepless nights and exhaustion from taking on too much and then realizing what I got myself into. Life can feel short, but you also have to have patience. It’s about the constant struggle I have with those things. I love the outro on this song. We were really going for it in those takes.

8. The House We Built – This is probably the most personal song on the record. It’s about my father who died in 2020. When my dad got sick, a friend of mine told me to be as honest as you can with them during this time. You won’t get another chance. It’s about that day, my past regrets, but also how we were able to mend so much. In the end, the life we were able to build as a family with all its flaws, is still a beautiful thing.

9. What Matters Now – This song is about getting older and priorities changing. What was so important to you when you were younger, gets replaced. And in this case, it feels good like you’re going in the right direction. I think your 20s can be filled with a lot of questions and doubts. Now in my thirties, I’ve felt a lot more appreciative of my life and all that’s happened.

10. Small Stakes – This song is about being kinder to yourself. I’ve been hard on myself in the past with certain things and held myself to a standard that was hard to reach. It can be a sickening thing because it creates this negative loop you get stuck in. It’s a reminder to myself that most things in life are literally small stakes. We really flushed out the instrumental section in this one. We’re good for at least one of those a record.

11. This Is Real – This track reinstates a lot of the record’s themes about being in the moment… essentially life and all its beauty are happening right now, so don’t let it slip by. But it also points out that our actions have consequences. This song feels a bit more serious. You can’t plan everything out in life and the future is still ultimately unknown. Whatever’s going to happen is right around the bend. We worked really hard on the arrangement on this one. We love to lean into the darker side of things and it felt right to end the record on a heavy dramatic note. Definitely one of the harder songs to nail live in the studio.

Karol Kamiński

DIY rock music enthusiast and web-zine publisher from Warsaw, Poland. Supporting DIY ethics, local artists and promoting hardcore punk, rock, post rock and alternative music of all kinds via IDIOTEQ online channels.
Contact via [email protected]

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