When Ryan Alexander handed us a new album from his electro-acoustic outfit Alexander called It's Not Always Signs, It's Not Always Wonders, at Respectable Street's 23rd Anniversary Party on July 31, we were a little taken aback with the news. We hadn't received any kind of advance warning that a second full length from this gifted Fort Lauderdale act was in the works. The modest Alexander is not one of those PR machine-type of musicians (the kind who spend as much time promoting their band on social networking sites as they do actually practicing their craft,) though. No, Alexander is too busy running Brew Urban Cafe'-- the downtown Fort Lauderdale coffee shop which he co-owns, -- during the day, and waxing sparkling emo-pop gems at night.
From what we hear, Alexander has just wrapped up yet another album of endearing indie-pop. But before we get to that, we thought we should give you guys a taste of the band's still-hot-off-the- presses release. The track we culled from the record, "I Am Barabbas (I Live Like You're Gone)," demonstrates Alexander's more acoustic side. It begins with delicate guitar strums that would go down flawlessly with one of Brew Urban's frothy concoctions. Alexander scales down the Death Cab for Cutie admiration here, opting instead for a visceral feel. His vocals elegantly inflecting in a manner Chris Martin's did when Coldplay was fresh and relevant. The group does bring in manicured orchestral flourishes after a few verses though, but they are not overbearing. Subtle piano chords and vocal double-tracking brings the song to a satisfying crescendo two and a half minutes in.
MP3: Alexander - "I Am Barabbas"
Look for It's Not Always Signs, It's Not Always Wonders on iTunes.
