Album Review: Alex G - Beach Music

Philadelphian singer/songwriter Alex Giannascoli (or Alex G as he puts on his record covers) is a prolific bedroom artist that has been predominantly self releasing his records with little fanfare, but significant interest. For his seventh akbum, Beach Music, he took the songs he recorded into a studio to have them mixed and mastered by the pros.

It was a new and nervy experience for 22 year-old Alex G to hand the control of his songs onto others, but it hasn’t lead to a seismic shift in the sound of Beach Music when compared to his other records. The other notable difference is that Beach House was written and recorded during breaks from his ever-increasing touring schedule as opposed to the predecessors that were taken directly from his head to a version on Bandcamp in a matter of days.

Such is the simplicity of his tunes that Giannascoli is more profuse than prodigy with songs that tend to finish almost as soon as they begin. The skewed lo-fi pop of Kicker and Brite Boy finds Alex G stapled to his trusty guitar along with his flawed yet likeable voice, but it the spacious piano ballad In Love, with ample saxophone that adds a new layer to his muse.

The songs on Beach Music don’t scream out sunny day in paradise, erring closer to early morning and hungover at the dog beach, or playing with your nephew in the sandpit. Regardless it is a mighty fine listen. 

Originally published in X-Press Magazine