On September 6, Rex Orange County (Alexander O’Connor), an indie-pop musician, released his newest album, “The Alexander Technique”. Leading up to the release, four songs were released as singles: “2008”, “The Table”, “Alexander”, and “Guitar Song”. The album contains 16 songs and has a run time of just under an hour.
First thoughts on this album for me were all positive. I loved how different this album was compared to his others. His lyrics and melodies within these 16 songs are so vulnerable and open, which I admire. That being said, many did not enjoy this. Many people have viewed it as “too sad” or him “talking too much”. I viewed the release of this album as brave; sharing the most painful parts of your life and how they affected you, for the world to hear, is something I look at as courageous.
One of my favorite songs from the album was “2008”. I thought this song was so unique compared to some of his others. The song discusses how his life used to be as a ten-year-old in 2008 versus how his life is now. He says how at ten years old, he was “unbothered” but went through life too fast. In the chorus, he says how he is now “taking it slow” and his life is way too “fast-paced.” I really liked his message to slow things down and to stay present. The melodic side of the song is just as good as its lyrical side. It’s pretty upbeat for the majority of the song but slows down every chorus. I thought this was a really interesting choice by the artist. It slows down when he is trying to communicate the main message of the song, which is in the chorus. This song was definitely top-tier for the album.
Another one of my top picks from the album was “The Table”. “The Table” talks about how there is so much you will never know about people. It starts with talking about how he is sitting at a table, and he wonders what used to sit underneath the tree it was made of. He wonders if the tree was special to anyone. This transitions into him talking about how strangers all have things in common but sometimes not quite enough to the point where they will go out of their way to get to know each other. The reason why I loved this song so much is because it really makes you think. Everything around you has been made or used by someone with a story that you don’t have a clue about. I think it really encapsulated the interesting sensation you get when you realize you really have little knowledge about much at all.
Yet another favorite of mine was “Pure”. Right off the bat, it has such a cool and different sound. The almost retro-sounding effects put on his voice combined with the bass riffs throughout makes for such a catchy and riveting concept. The song is about falling in love with someone and how “pure” they still appear even after any challenges faced within the relationship. Overall, I thought it was just such a fun song to listen to with a great vibe.
All in all, this album stood out to me very much. I thought the melodies and instrumental choices were extremely thought-out. In addition, the lyrics were so personal and open. “The Alexander Technique” was a fantastic album for any audience, and I would definitely recommend it.
