After several years of releasing album after album on Bandcamp, Alex Giannascoli gets the widespread attention he deserves with his first release on Domino Records. Titled Beach Music for fun, this 13-song dream is full of complex layers, distorted vocals, and ranging influences. It resonates well with his previous releases and still keeps a lo-fi bedroom aesthetic even with its higher production value.
Every song on this album flows into the next, yet each song is unique. The intro kicks things off with an experimental crash of sounds that you would hear on an early Sonic Youth album then cross fades right into the single, “Bug.” The next two songs are slow and brooding pieces that reflect a harder, more experimental version of Elliot Smith.
The album goes from sad bastard to a strange ’80s ballad on the next track, “Salt.” It’s interesting at the very least, but not a favorite. Some highlights on the other hand are “Brite Boy” and “Mud.” “Mud” is the most similar to his earlier releases with its low vocals and lightly strummed guitar chords. “Brite Boy” on the other hand is oddly cheerful and engaging. There is a duet between himself with his regular vocals calling and his pitch-shifted vocals replying.
There is also a piano-based song and noise rock influenced track, which adds to the variety that is Beach Music. It is easy to see the huge amount of talent and thought that went into this full length, and it is exciting to see where this project will go in the future.
Recommended If You Like: Elliot Smith, Elvis Depressedly, pre-Float On Modest Mouse
Recommended Tracks: 7 (Brite Boy), 10 (Mud), 11 (Ready)
Do Not Play: 2 (Bug)
Written by Rachel Bennett on 10/01/15