Alex G at Islington Academy
Music is a foolproof, tried-and-tested form of expression. Lyrics complement the tune to create a representation of poignant social issues and political movements. Alex G has extended this by reaching out to her fans and sharing their stories in her songs. With her latest EP she literally is the voice of her fans.
Share Your Story EP is the second body of work from Alex G, who carved out her career on social media platforms, gaining almost 1.5 million subscribers to her Youtube channel today. She has created an album comprised of the individual stories of five fans: Charlotte, Muriel, Ben, Royston, and Alena, and is playing all five on the London stint of her tour. Charlotte stood out as a touching tale of social isolation to soft electronic backing, Muriel was a slower track on love and loss and Ben was a simple melody with harmonic vocals and instrumentals.
With her music we see both progression and transgression from the upbeat YouTube sensation singing catchy tunes like Growing Up and Love the Way You Miss Me. Her new work centres on good values and love stories – a woman using her voice as a tool for her followers to express their authenticity.
It is a really unique idea for an album, especially at a time when talking about the mind and social issues is being brought to the fore. However, at times, Alex G’s gentle, dreamy pop sound can fall into the trap of many singer-songwriters before her of varied tempo but same structure, the end result being a repetitive record. Though there is a lot to be said for bands with a distinct sound (one can identify an Arctic Monkeys track from the opening chords or hear Bob Dylan’s instantly recognisable vocals in any song), the challenge is to maintain an identity without creating something generic. Although the idea is great, Alex G’s songs played together form a very repetitive set.
Melissa Hoban
Photos: Melissa Williams
For further information about Alex G and future events visit here.
Listen to Ben here:
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