Alex Hall’s Figurehead
Self Titled EP Review
written by Dylan Schaeffer
Alex Hall’s Figurehead’s new three-track album is an insanely fun little piece of listening pleasure. Free-form and flowing yet tight and clean, this album truly showcases some amazing talent. Right out of the box, “Perform” gets into some groovy melodies with some serious punch. Upbeat and jammy with both ska and jazz influences, my only complaint was that this song didn’t last longer. In my opinion, this song is both vocally and instrumentally the standout of the three tracks.
Next up, “Credit Hole” comes in heavy and bluesy, as the lyrics detail the woes of hard work and heavy debt. The longest track of the three, this one gets most of its length from its extended-bridge jam, which stays pretty consistently in the blues-rock universe.
Finally, “Shakespeare” rounds out the album. The song creeps in with some eerie, carnival-esque organ churning out hot and heavy chords. Suddenly, a burst of energy catapults the song into the stratosphere and quickly sends it back to earth. This dichotomy spins the song in a repeated frenzy, breaking for an uplifting jam of a few bars, only to frenzy itself up once more. Suddenly, the song blasts back into an amazingly powerful, dark guitar break that gets back into the melancholy verse.
Overall, I’m very impressed with the Self-titled EP. I had not previously heard any of Alex Hall’s work, but I can definitely say I will be keeping my eye on this band from here on out. Fantastic musical prowess, great sense of groove, and a very entertaining songwriting method makes this a fantastic candidate for the “repeat” button. It may sound cliché, but the only thing left to be desired in this listening experience was that there wasn’t more to listen to.
