A musician since childhood and master of many genres, Alex Jordan recently released his first solo album, The Subtle Exhibitionist, which is available on both vinyl and compact disc via Chicken Man Music.
The San Francisco Bay Area singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has crafted a cinematic soundscape that captures the ears, as well as the mind. The Subtle Exhibitionist is scripted of prose charting different phases of his life, along with keen observations on people and places.
Triggered by a funky blues tenor, “Your Kingdom Comes (With a View)” opens The Subtle Exhibitionist in grand form. A chorus of stadium-sized lung power, compounded by the rolling whistle of a Hammond organ and hard-hitting riffage further cement the tugging track that communicates the highs and lows of fame from the public’s perspective.
Similarly fashioned, “Subtle Exhibition” adds more of a country-flavored swagger to the brew. Grooving with crunchy rhythms, the semi-autobiographical number also features the soulful strain of a Hammond organ, sparkly harmonies and climaxes to a surge of smoking guitar action.
On the opposite side of the sonic scale, there’s the soft and gentle folk pop of the Simon and Garfunkel-inspired “To Be Whole,” while “Makuahine” clocks in as a sweet and pretty guitar instrumental.
Ruled by the weeping sigh of a pedal-steel guitar, the toe-tapping “I Know I’ll Be O.K.” recounts Alex Jordan’s move from Southern California back to his native Bay Area home, and “‘Till We Are Gone” carries a bouncy world music-styled beat.
Starting out at a measured pace, “Smile With Me” eventually blossoms into a majestic display of towering orchestration, and last but definitely not least, “California In My Eyes” nails traditional country arrangements to a rip-snorting classic-rock finish.
Alex’s firm and fluid vocals provide the material on The Subtle Exhibitionist with clarity and personality. Every song has a catchy beginning and a catchy ending, making for an album where each offering is instantly memorable.
Boasting a wide array of moods and impressions, The Subtle Exhibitionist takes in a variety of references, ranging from the jammy vibe of the Grateful Dead to the early excursions of ivory-key icons like Elton John and Billy Joel. But Alex Jordan’s excellent composition techniques, bolstered by imaginative structures and inventive melodic sensibilities, allow for a contemporary and unique approach.
Flush with good energy, great dialogue and songs that will still be relevant years from now, The Subtle Exhibitionist is a dazzling debut from an artist whose spirited music is primed to make a major impact.
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