Alex Lahey is an indie pop/rock singer who began performing in 2016. The Best Of Luck Club was released in 2019, two years after I Love You Like A Brother.
Let's skip my favourite aspects for a moment, and start with what probably represents more of the band's "natural" style...
Interior Demeanour feels a bit like Nirvana-lite to me, with brooding verses and a simplistic chorus functioning as the hook. I really enjoy the rawness and honesty of the lyrics, even if it isn't a song I'd look forward to listening to. Unspoken History perhaps illustrates the importance of said hook, since we are just left with nondescript melodies and painfully unimaginative rhyming. No thanks.
Isabella is another major offender when it comes to the rhymes. But all is forgiven thanks to the positive vibes, in particular an endearingly wholesome chorus. While on the topic of soppy ballads, Black RMs isn't particularly memorable musically, but the lyrics have a sense of sharing some very personal thoughts, which makes it an interesting journey.
Ok, now back to the start for I Don't Get Invited To Parties Anymore. Quiet self-reflection in the verses? check. Catchy singalong chorus? check. It's a simple recipe, but this example shows the timeless appeal when done well. The icing on the cake is the breakdown section, which slowly builds momentum thanks to wonderful layering of the vocals and guitars. It's my favourite part of the song. And although the chorus was beginning to wear out its welcome, this build-up into the grand finale version of the chorus is the perfect way to round out the experience.
Am I Doing It Right tells an engaging tale with great insights into the paradox of the lonely rock star lifestyle. But really, it's all about the legendary chorus, which becomes some kind of cult-like trance, as per emo stadium-rock at its finest. Some odd little highlights for me are the lines "I can f**k it all up in a million different ways" and the glorious offbeat snare hit at the end of each phrase.
Don't Be So Hard On Yourself is more of the feelgood melancholy vibes from I Don't Get Invited To Parties Anymore. Both songs have a strong 80s synth-rock feel to me, quite similar to Dragon (possibly due in part to the brilliantly cheesy saxophone cameo). Again, the chorus is wonderfully addictive, using a thousand watts of stadium rock power to describe the most fragile elements of the human condition. In one of the highest compliments I can give, it's like Millencolin at their finest.
Favourite songs
I Don't Get Invited To Parties Anymore, Am I Doing It Right, Don't Be So Hard On Yourself, Isabella
Final thoughts
I do really like it... but, much like Nirvana, probably for all of the wrong reasons.
