REVIEW: Rob Alexander drops 4th Single
Springy and driven by a pulsating beat that seems to swell against the buoyancy of the melodic instrumentation, Rob Alexander’s “This Hollywood Road” is perhaps the most well-rounded pop composition to be found in the tracklist of his latest album, Being Myself.
“This Hollywood Road” is the fourth single from its parent LP, and while it sits beside some quite intriguing content, it easily qualifies as being one of the more identity-forward songs you’re going to hear in Being Myself. Right from the beginning of the track, it’s obvious that Alexander has been honing his songcraft in the last couple of years. There’s no hesitation on his part when it comes time to marry strong pop sensibilities with classic rock themes, and with the assistance of Elton John’s touring band behind him, he manages to craft something that speaks as much to the past as it does the future of the indie singer/songwriter movement (especially as it relates to his scene). Alexander has been around for a while now, but he’s sounding refreshed and ready for the next chapter in his life here.
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The percussion has a great swing to it here, but I don’t think it’s the main element driving home the beat to us. The bassline is stacked in the mix as to provide a little extra pressure against the guitar parts, and even though they’re equally as loud in the grander scheme of things, the primary lick in the hook seems to define the mood of the lyrics a bit more than Alexander does on his own.
He’s a lot less indulgent with his vocal in “This Hollywood Road” in comparison to some of the other performances he gives in Being Myself, but I don’t think this is any sort of a departure from the sound that he’s been building his entire reputation on over the last few years. This track is absolutely the most stage-ready recording of any on the record, and if it’s giving us any sort of a sampling of what we can expect to see out of Rob Alexander the next time he plays a live gig, he’s going to do even better on the other side of the 2020 lull than he did prior.
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3FPTeDAmuaxeneG38VlPvG?autoplay=true
If you’re a fan of the independent pop scene out of the southeastern United States, Rob Alexander has everything you need to make sure your summer sun sets on the right note. “This Hollywood Road” is as much about the cosmetics of its lyrical content as it is the implied theme of freedom and maturation that its verses could be interpreted as presenting us, and while that makes it a rather multifaceted piece of pop music, it doesn’t make it an overcomplicated — and thus inaccessible — listen by any means. Alexander has never been known for weighing down his music with a lot of unnecessary details, and in this respect, his most recent studio offering is in line with all of the incredible work he’s turned in over the last few years.
Colin Jordan
