On the song “Outlaws of Peace”, Foxy Leopard takes a nontraditional approach by looking at the aftermath of the American Civil War rather than focusing on the war itself. The song deals with the difficult process of adjusting to a changed society in which the end of military conflict did not mean that the problems it had left behind had been solved. This angle gives the song a definite focus by bringing attention to the long-term effects of violence and the unclear meaning of peace.
Based on historical events, the story follows the lives of Jesse and Frank James, two former Confederate guerrillas whose experiences became closely associated with violence in the aftermath of the war. Instead of showing their reputations from the point of view of idealised outlaws, the song examines the insights that their stories provide regarding the continuing nature of conflict. The way in which they are portrayed in the narrative leads to questions concerning identity, the personal decisions people make, and how difficult it is to escape a past defined by war. By taking this approach, the song gives the subject a more sombre tone than a simple celebration of an outlaw lifestyle.
The fact that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865 and that Jesse James died in 1882 provides another aspect for consideration. Though their situations and the places they hold in history were very different, both of them were shot from behind. The similarity links their deaths to the lasting influence of the Civil War, incorporating themes of betrayal and the ongoing nature of violence into the song’s broader view. Instead of seeing peace as a final conclusion, the piece looks at the effects which can persist long after a conflict has officially ended.
Departing from traditional country band arrangements, the recording features an aggressive resonator guitar sound, marked by metallic attacks, haunting slides and deep acoustic resonance. The almost electric growl gives the song a tough character which matches the theme of the song. Since it is one of the tracks on Foxy Leopard’s concept album After, “Outlaws of Peace” combines unusual guitar textures with a narrative concerning the consequences of conflict; the main tension in the song is the gap between ending a war and escaping the violence it leaves behind.
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