My first exposure to singer/songwriter Alex G was thru his music scores for Jane Schoenbrun’s We’re All Going To The World’s Fair and I Saw The TV Glow. I was surprisingly moved by his score to I Saw The TV Glow(as I was by the film, too). His restrained synth-heavy score felt like music you’d hear in some early 90s TV show, but with a healthy dose of melancholy thrown in.
I was surprised to find out how young Alex G(born in PA as Alexander Giannascoli) is. At the ripe old age of 32 the guy has an extensive discography, releasing his first album in 2010 at 17. Releasing 9 albums from 2010 to 2022, not including those movie scores, Alex G has kept very busy the last 15 years. I decided to give his newest, Headlights, a listen and was surprised to hear a low key pop rock album. Subtle production, jangly guitars, and vibes reminiscent of Elliot Smith, Michael Penn, and even touches of Tom Petty. It’s a hazy, dreamy pop rock album that invites repeated listens.
In a music landscape crowded with gimmicky artists and melody-lacking bangers, Headlights feels like a throwback album. Catchy hooks, sleepy delivery, and the exuberance of someone sitting in their home studio writing and recording alone and not worried about trends and clicks. Just raw songs that make you feel something, and inspire you to sing along once you have those lyrics down.
“June Guitar” sounds like it could have been a Full Moon Fever b-side. It seems to be riding radio waves from the late 80s when names like Tom Petty and Bruce Hornsby(and Springsteen for that matter) ruled FM radio. A time when grown adult men and women were still in top 40 countdowns. “Afterlife” has Hooters vibes with its mandolin touches and welcoming vocal touches.
The album runs 44 minutes and never lulls. From the Elliot Smith-esque “Spinning” to the bombastic Pixies-sounding “Louisiana” to the caffeinated “Bounce Boy”, Alex G makes songs that emanate a hopefulness and quiet joy that seems to be sorely missing from the pop rock landscape. It all comes to a head with the jazzy closer “Is It Still You In There”.
If you’re missing those days of thoughtful, intelligent indie music then look no further than Alex G’s Headlights.
Complex Distractions 