Glorious (album)

*"There's a dark streak with the album, as well as a pop element that runs through it."* - Foxes

***Glorious*** is Foxes' debut studio album. It was originally due for release on 28 February 2014, but the date was pushed back to 12 May 2014 in favour of releasing the album simultaneously worldwide.

## Background

After a spate of successful songs, appearing as a featured artist alongside Zedd, Fall Out Boy, Sub Focus and Rudimental as well as a successful single in "Youth", Foxes showed intent at releasing a full album to steer away from the "featured artist" title. In an interview with Billboard, she stated the reason was "[...]Because I also have my music that's my baby."

In an interview during the "Making of the Album" video featured on her VEVO page on YouTube, Foxes calls the album "extremely personal", as well that its influence is from her childhood as well as growing up. She also claims the album is "me talking to myself", as music to her is a "form of therapy".

From the same video, Allen described her process for making the songs, in which she stated "I feel like the song already exists" and "I start with a big white piece of paper and I'll just write things I'm feeling[...] It kind of comes out of nowhere."

The track list features several new songs, as well as two songs featured on her first EP *Warrior* (2012) ("In Her Arms" & "White Coats").

The album was released on 12 May 2014, in both digital and physical formats. It sold 83,009 copies within its first couple of years.

On 9 July 2023, Foxes announced that she was looking to explore the possibility of releasing music from *Glorious* which never made the final cut whilst in the process of writing new music.

## Promotion

Although not classed as part of the promotion to the run up to *Glorious*, "Holding onto Heaven" was made available for free on iTunes in December 2013.

On 17 April 2014, *Amazon Artist Lounge - EP* was released to download from Amazon for free. It contains live versions of "Let Go for Tonight", "Youth" and "Holding onto Heaven".

## Tracklist

*Glorious* is the longest running album in terms of the standard version released by Foxes, running with a total length time of 44 minutes however *The Kick*, her third studio album is the longest running album with inclusion of the tracks from *Friends in the Corner EP* on the second disc of the special edition which lasts 69 minutes compared to 65 minutes in the deluxe version of *Glorious*.

## Critical reception

*Glorious* received generally favourable reviews upon release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, it received an average score of 61, based on 8 reviews.

Rob Knaggs from *Clash* remarked that "Foxes has made a pop album that, despite occasionally drifting into melodrama, serves as an enjoyable listen stuffed with genuine pop-gems, sun-baked choruses and enough bite to warrant repeated listens." Writing for *The Guardian*, Paul MacInnes noted that "while the lyrics are too cloying and cliched to mean much, in conjunction with such a button-pushing soundtrack, they still carry the capacity to move."

Laurence Day from *The Line of Best Fit* praised "Let Go for Tonight" for having "literally everything you want in massive single – the chorus, the hooks, the singalongability" and noted that Foxes "tends to deal with matters similar to Icona Pop", particularly those that are "centred around being youthful, frivolous and socially clumsy".

In a review for AllMusic, Fred Thomas said that "while the infectiousness of singles like 'Youth' and 'Let Go for Tonight' is undeniable, so often artists like Foxes can't quite rise to the challenge of filling out an entire album's worth of solid material around a few hits" although also stating that "the album on the whole is wrapped in a unique atmosphere that somehow manages to be both darkly moody and carefree." Writing for Digital Spy, Lewis Corner commended the album, saying that it "strives to be celestial, booming and chart-worthy - and for the majority, it hits that mark" further noting "Let Go for Tonight" as the standout track "[resulting] in a magnificent centrepiece for Glorious; a stellar debut album that deserves to make Foxes a household name once and for all."

Shefali Srivastava from DIY praised the "huge, stunning chorus" of the album's title track as well as stating, "dark and light, sweet yet savvy, layered but not overproduced – Foxes has created a work that embodies all these dichotomies and walks the line between them perfectly. It really is glorious."

Holly Williams was less enthusiastic in her review for *The Independent*, stating that "there are fun dance tracks, but few real earworms" and further commenting that Glorious "adds up to a shallowly appealing, summery package; glossily produced and personality free."

Killian Fox of *The Observer* noted that "though the album is formulaic and polished, there is enough crackle in its dark, lustrous soundscapes and tales of nocturnal romance to intrigue – and Allen's voice has the power to match those booming drums."

Alex Denney from *NME* noted similarities between "Youth" and "Talking to Ghosts" to the music of Bat for Lashes as well as comparing "Let Go for Tonight" to Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero" and concluded the review stating that "Glorious is no failure". Writing for *Financial Times*, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney pointed out that Glorious is "designed for maximum exposure" and is "a big-screen production."

## Legacy

### Anniversary celebrations

In January 2024, in celebration of *Glorious*' 10th anniversary, Foxes Wiki was given a redesign to celebrate the milestone.

## References

1. ↑ "I wanna make sure I get my album out to as many of you as possible on the SAME day so this means I have to move the release date to May. I cannot wait for you all to hear it!!!!! All my love love love x x x x". Allen, Louisa Rose. Facebook. 30 January 2014. https://www.facebook.com/iamfoxes/posts/536478183116941?stream\_ref=10ref.

**EPs**:
**Other**: