Multitime-ECMA nominee and winner Alex Madsen is back with some new music you may not be expecting. Madsen is known to many as the man at the helm of Outlaw Country group The Divorcees, a rough and tumble take on Americana, Country and Rock with a touch of Bluegrass and some metal to boot, but this offering harkens back to Madsen’s work with the Turning.
The album is not country, touches on rock and dives deep into synth sounds and arrangements that put Madsen’s vocals and lyricism on display.
The opening track “The Gods That Walk The Earth” turns the tables on the Johnny Cash/NIN relationship by providing a song that could be mistaken for Nine Inch Nails covering Johnny Cash. The opening refrain “The Gods that walk the earth, they don’t care about who they hurt” sets the tone for an EP rife with please for more humanity, love and compassion in the world.
“The Cool Kids” paints a one sided image of the “Haves” vs the “Have Nots” condemning those who exemplify the personification of cool in 2020’s with their reverence for social media status and materialism above all else attitudes. Laid back and grooving this song could easily serve as a pop anthem sung by those it looks disparage.
The first single from the EP, “The House is on Fire,” is likely the funkiest of all the offerings. This song emerges as the most complete package, with the compelling swells of the keys and the simplicity of its percussion creating a sum greater than its parts. The chord change leading into the chorus is very reminiscent of “The Turning,” making it my favorite track on the recording.
Am I biased? Hell yes, I’ve spent nearly a decade on the road with Alex playing one nighters all across Canada. That being said, there’s only two kinds of music, good music and bad music, and this is good music. It’s genuine, it’s not contrived, it’s an honest expression of musical influences from a man that has offered so much to so many bands over his varied career. Seemingly able to be whatever is required from him, Alex has shown he’s capable of being the compliment required for any occasion, but as a leader is he is fearless, bold and uncompromising. This execution of vision is not attempting to be something that people will like. It’s an honest expression of the things that Madsen likes, and if you like it or not is entirely up to you.
Brock Gallant
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