PHOX - Noble Heart

The exuberant, countless members of Phox appear in a flurry around you -- in the studio’s narrow hallways, loading in all of their gear, giddy smiles on their faces. You can’t keep them straight. It’s like a game of Whack-a-Mole -- one appears and you think it’s the bassist but then he is behind you and who’s that guy? But everyone is in good humor, everyone laughs. In a sense, “Noble Heart“ operates on the same principle: you rarely hear everyone playing at once. Guitars and drums and horns sneak in and out, giving you the chance to savor each sweet little melody before they finally surge together in the song’s final minute. It’s Monica’s voice that holds the song together, weaving and striding through the rest of the arrangement and providing the perfect foil for the buoyant horns. You may think she shares in the cheer of “Noble Heart,“ but listen carefully to her lyrics and, in true Phox fashion, something else may sneak up on you. Li