Alex G - Beach Music

Alex G
Beach Music
2015
Alex G - Beach Music

Home recorders often take the stripped down approach to their music out of necessity. Limited budgets mean an analogue sound will benefit them and they can still get out what they were looking to create. Beach Music is 22 year old Alex G's seventh full length album (yes you read that right) most of which has been released on bandcamp. ON this record Alex plays with pitch and different vocalizations while still holding on to that warm sound that comes from recording a record on your own. Even when He is using cartoon voices and effect pedals that same homeyness remains. For an album that could very easily be considered art rock there is something highly accessible about this record, Alex is able to build that connection. On many of the tracks you first instinct is to think that these songs are just a jumbled mess of sound but on a closer listen you can hear the intricacies and the way Alex bends sounds to the exact place he wants them rather than relying on different instrumentation to facilitate that for him. It really is quite incredible to listen to.

Even a track like "Brite Boy" which could so easily be written off as a silly pop song has so many layers going on within it that the profoundness reveals itself listen after listen. This is where Alex G really does show his genius, instead of wanting you to like his music right away it seems He would rather you be put off or even confused. He wants you to dive deep with him and explore exactly what the genre can and should be. There are times where you wish He would drop the singing in silly voices like on "In Love" in particular but it does have it's own sense of charm that is unavoidable. "Mud" which includes singer Emily Yacina is perhaps one of the best songs on the record with the two harmonizing and almost whispering a secret that they refuse to let you in on. It is frustrating and beautifully done at the same time. This record may be a difficult one to get in to, but if you give it a chance you will find something really great within.

8 out of 10