Review Summary: Catchy, melodic bedroom pop-rock
Alexander James O’Connor, better known by his stage name Rex Orange County, has established a rather unique style throughout his career. In blending captivating bedroom pop, indie rock and subtle jazz groove, he has continuously shifted the focus through each successive release. The emphasis on lo-fi hip hop of the debut provided a chilled experience full of intriguing grooves, dark leads, and engrossing vocal phrasings. Subsequently,
Apricot Princess’ dip into jazz-rock as the central theme garnished the record with a fluid progression which is accentuated by the occasional orchestral element. With
Pony, Rex Orange County drifted further into the bedroom pop realm with focus on the acoustics and piano compositional pieces, displaying a slower side of his abilities. Now, with his fourth full-length record,
WHO CARES? further explores this realm, and is primarily dominated by lush strings, catchy beats, and beautifully constructed melodies.
The opener, “Keep It Up,” sets the scene with gorgeous strings building into a deep bass groove accentuated by Rex Orange County’s smooth vocal melodies and complementing harmonies. Throughout the track, the poppier elements alternate with orchestral elements, providing a dynamic contrast between the mainstream and the classical styles. This contrast is heavily prevalent throughout the record, filling the ambiance with lavish melodic compositions, groovy rhythmic basslines, and clean guitar progressions. “Amazing” and “One In a Million” perfectly execute this variation, allowing each element to shine when needed to amplify the tracks. The balance and fluidity of these two styles provides a uniquely melodic and catchy experience that stand out as highlights within the record.
However, not every track follows this formula of orchestration and groove. Scattered throughout
WHO CARES? lie palate cleansers that grant a break from the formulaic pattern and offer a new composition to latch onto. By diversifying the happy, chill nature of the record, “If You Want It,” unlike the tracks before it, has a melodically upbeat tune with a subdued darker tonality that faintly contrasts with the other songs. Additionally, “The Shade” and the title track take a step back from the ambitious orchestral elements and rely on a simple drum beat and bass groove, smooth chord progressions, and catchy, subtle melodies reminiscent to the highlights of
Apricot Princess. With these three outliers,
WHO CARES? feels more rounded out with enough variety to keep the experience from being entirely rigid and structured.
Nonetheless, the record still falls victim to occasionally being an album of pattern. Is formula a bad thing? Not necessarily, but it does become tiresome in the long-run. With the exception of the three aforementioned tracks, much of the album’s style begins to bleed together, feeling almost indistinguishable from one number to the next. Although Rex Orange County’s compositions are rather compelling, the same songwriting structure can only be welcomed for so long before it becomes a chore to get through. The “palate cleansers” provide just enough breathing room to keep
WHO CARES? from overstaying its welcome, yet the formulaic nature feels almost overbearing by the album’s closing songs.
While it doesn’t match up to the execution of
Apricot Princess or the entertainment of
Bcos U Will Never B Free, Rex Orange County’s fourth installment establishes itself as another great addition to his discography. Although simplistic in nature, the signature style of bedroom pop and indie rock remains at the forefront of his vision.
WHO CARES? isn’t necessarily ground-breaking, but it shows an artist doing what he does best, building upon his stylistic foundation and paving the way for the future.
