Review Summary: 39 minutes of pure, romantic introspection, accompanied by warm vocals and captivating instrumentals.
Raw emotion. Honest, tear jerking lyricism. Incredibly comforting Jazz ballads. Stellar Alt Rock. Warm, youthful vocals. Playful variation and graceful transition. Grandiose string orchestration and uplifting instrumentalism.
This album really caries a grandiose deal of weight, so allow me to go more into detail on such.
Apricot Princess. The title track opens with warm string orchestration, seeming subtle at first, but grabbing you in with progressive dynamics and an all encapsulating gong to finish it off. Then, Alex burns in, crooning lovingly into a ballad where he expresses his true love and appreciation to his then girlfriend, Thea. 10/10.
Television. Pure passion envelops a Rock tune with unforgettably relatable lyricism. "What about me?", showing off the true teenager inside him. While matured in his craft, Alex is only a child. Then, we're given a killer, head-banging electric guitar solo, followed by... rap? It all flows together perfectly somehow. As we transform into the lush So Far So Good, we greeted with warm and inviting synths accompanied by a vintage-sounding electric piano and Rex's crooning. The song finishes off subtly but yet again, gracefully. Need more be said? 10/10.
Nothing. Most of the true feelings I have for this song can't be describe in words. There's just something about Rex's vocals that really makes the mark for me and hits home. Marco's chill and harmony inflicting 8 bars are enough to completely set the mood in an even more extreme setting. This song transports you from your computer and headphones, directly into a heated car driving through the rain. 9.7/10.
Sycamore Girl. I don't want to go into too much detail on this one, even though it might be my favorite on the album. It showcases a cascade of raw emotion. Sadly, this song is tampered by Rex and Thea's breakup back in 2020. Nevertheless, her breathy riff vocals perfectly compliment Rex's vocals, giving us a perfect duet. 10/10.
Untitled. Serving as a perfect sequel in what I consider to be the trilogy of Rex's sorrowful clean guitar ballads. Corduroy Dreams, A Song About Being Sad, and now Untitled. Honestly just listen to this one man. The song speaks for itself. "I dont mind if you hate me, cause baby if I were you, I would probably hate me too." While short and sweet, this song accomplishes everything it's set out for. 10/10.
Four Seasons. Pay close attention to the lyrics on this one. I would offer a quote, but there are too many quotable lines here for me to list. The dynamic variation offered in this song more than justifies its length. The instrumental is incredible as well. 9.8/10
Waiting Room. Fueled by the hatred of family reunions, Alex decides to instead spend his time with his girlfriend, in this almost tear jerking, emotional ballad. While switching perspectives often throughout the lyrics, he puts his main focus on the songwriting. Not in one song does Rex not put his full attention on the story and deeper meaning of each song. I wish I could say the same about his newer stuff. 10/10
Rain Man. Need a drink pal? Take a minute and tell me about everything that's on your mind. 10/10.
Never Enough. What happens when you lose the ones you love? While unfortunately the perfect 10/10's stop here for me, these next two songs are invigorating and grand. Now that Alex is energized, he suddenly becomes a full-on ***ing rockstar, using his existential lyrics to tell a tale of reality and acceptance of outcome, that you can pick up your drumsticks and jam out to. 9.4/10
Happiness. With a complete change of pace, he looks at things from a careless perspective, filling his complete and utter compassion honesty to cap off the album on a mellow closer, although a fantastic one. Instead of telling his own tales, Alex sits down to ask a series of heartfelt questions about his one true love. With a fake-out ending and a distorted guitar shift, compassion serves as the only being that lingers on. With nothing left to say, Alex gives us 25 seconds of bare silence to take it all in. 9.3/10
While it might not seem that way at first, this album is revolutionary, and serves as 40 minutes of perspective, offering a romance story that objects any form of cliche or cringeworthy repetition.
Overall: 9.8/10.
