Local Airwaves is your source for the lowdown on tracks soon to be heard on WKNC. This week’s album is “Rocket” by (Sandy) Alex G.
Not just in name, Alex G has changed dramatically as an artist with his newest release on May 19, “Rocket.” The fifth album to be added to his discography and the first to be added since the musician changed his moniker to (Sandy) Alex G, “Rocket” follows 2015’s highly successful “Beach Music,” perhaps the most well-received of any of his albums to date. It’s understandable that Alex would want to change things up a bit in order to live up to the hype of his last album; seemingly the only way forward after a hit like that is to go full Bowie and try to reshape the genre in some way or find success with a new crowd.
But initial reactions to the album have been very mixed. Most critics err on the negative side, too shocked by the change or just unimpressed with the new direction of the album. Quite honestly, it’s understandable. With “Rocket,” Alex G has cast aside much of the style of his previous albums, and for all intents and purposes has completely changed genres. When you listen to the album, you know it’s him, but it’s hard to hear any of what made any of his previous albums so unique. That’s not to say that I think “Rocket” is lacking, but more so that its value is not based on any prior sound, nor the genre in which Alex G has established himself.
To understand more clearly the level of reinvention that this album is aiming for, it’s important to understand the history of the artist and his music. Alexander Giannascoli started out as a bedroom demo artist long before he became widely known as Alex G. Starting out making albums completely solo in his home, Alex would release six full-length independent albums directly onto Bandcamp before being picked up by a UK label and having three of those albums reissued and made officially available on other platforms and in physical format. Throughout this time, and with “Beach Music,” Alex G’s sound was fairly firmly planted in the indie rock/lo-fi genre. From the ground up, Alex G has pretty much always been lumped into the identification of indie-rock darling, with his standout features being exceptional songwriting and a heartwarming DIY success story.
And so, along comes “Rocket.” Toss out the buzzing, mildly distorted guitars that stand as the dominant sound on previous albums, cast aside the moodier, bluesy style of songwriting that Alex G does so well. In its place, find a bizarre collection of folksy, bluegrass inspired tracks that are still distinct both on their own and for being identifiable as Alex G. Everything about this album is different. It’s a different emotion, different instrumentation, different structure, different themes and a different tone. There’s even a Death Grips-esque track right smack dab in the middle of the album, which is so bizarrely out of place and yet also incredibly well-made and enjoyable.
This album doesn’t forsake Alex G the musician, but it seems to cast aside everything to do with Alex G the label. It’s a new start that at once seems out of the songwriter’s natural element and history, yet also perfectly innate to his talents. So it’s understandable that this album wouldn’t be perfectly received, or even would be met with disdain or repulsion; it’s a complete system shock to anyone remotely familiar with the artist, and strays a good distance away from even sounding like it belongs in the same genre.
At the end of the day, I don’t think it’s a bad album at all. The instrumentation is beautiful, the emotion is real, and it’s extremely original. Really, it’s a fantastic album. I think the fans will come to this conclusion sooner than the critics, but sooner or later popular opinion of “Rocket” should be mostly positive. It’s a seminal work and a brilliant reinvention from a beloved artist. It may not be my favorite Alex G album to date, but it’s sure my favorite (Sandy) Alex G album.
