Review: Alexander -Alexander Ebert

Alexander Ebert, the enigmatic frontman of neo-hippie jam band, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, has released his first solo effort Alexander. There’s not a huge, musical jump from the sound of Edward Sharpe, but the difference lies in Alexander’s sheer simplicity. What Ebert has created is 11 of the best campfire songs influenced by one of the best eras of music –the ‘60s.

As a whole, the record shines with influences from the obvious Bob Dylan, to The Byrds, and even Sam Cooke. Ebert sounds like he should’ve been born early enough to enjoy California’s Summer of Love in the late sixties than in the late seventies Los Angeles. Sonically, the record roots itself in acoustic rockabilly and southern toe-tapping, hand-clapping jams. The album’s best numbers hold that at its core, but incorporate subtle touches of blues, Motown, and even reggae.

Tracks like “Bad Bad Love” and “Glimpses” are soulful and stripped down with Ebert’s higher register strongly echoing. “Bad Bad Love” is the edgiest track, and the only track featuring a recognizable bass sound, while “Glimpses” is reminiscent of Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change is Gonna Come.” A truly standout track, “Truth” features Ebert almost rapping over a slightly reggae groove accompanied by a breathy saxophone accompaniment.

While the softer moments on the record seem to stand out the most, songs like “Let’s Win!”, “Awake My Body”, and the Traveling Wilburys-esque love song “A Million Years” are lively accounts directed towards the youth of this generation with a hint of nostalgia for a simpler time. On “Let’s Win!”, Ebert speaks for the lost, singing “I hear myself screaming for the truth!” The track “In the Twilight” even proposes the question, “Would you call the Earth an asshole?”

While the album could have the unfortunate fate of being deemed homage to Bob Dylan (the track “Awake My Body” features background vocals that sound uncannily like the legend), there’s more to it. To generalize it as such or even a stripped version of Edward Sharpe would take away the beauty of it. Nothing is overly-produced, not too many hands have touched it. It’s beauty is in its simplicity and what was created is a breath of fresh air accented with a welcomed bit of nostalgia. **9.0/10