Alex G - Headlights. LP
Spanning well over 15 years, Alex G’s 10-album run has been the kind of career-spanning streak that many artists could only dream of. From lo-fi bedroom garage rock to now a fully expansive ‘IMAX’ version of himself, he’s managed to constantly innovate and remain true to his vision, never compromising on the peculiar and odd world he exists in, all the while continuing to cast his net wider and wider.
Naturally, the album bounces around a variety of different sounds and emotions, speaking a sort of weird emotional language of his own creation. Sci-fi-tinged Americana, warm flickers of an old VHS tape, and a techno-esque, autotuned hymn of sorts, he crams so many ideas into its short runtime that it should be overwhelming. But his distinctive and captivating songwriting ability, along with his earnest nature, anchor it all into an off-kilter, cohesive effort: a uniquely Alex G listening experience.
Headlights feels like the cinematic climax he’s been building toward since 2017’s Rocket. Dynamic in nature, he opens the curtains just long enough for us to glimpse his strange world. It truly feels like a beautiful smorgasbord of each record that came before it, the blissfully dark electronics, delicate alt-country, and soulful indie rock all elevated to a new level.
True, this is his major label debut, which admittedly feels odd for an artist like Alex G. But if nothing else, Headlights proves that in doing so you never have to sacrifice artistic integrity.
For fans of Elliot Smith, Mount Erie & Big Thief
Tracklisting:
June Guitar
Real Thing
Afterlife
Beam Me Up
Spinning
Louisiana
Bounce Boy
Oranges
Far and Wide
Headlights
Is It Still You In There?
Logan Hotel (Live)
