''Sun Songs'' is the 2019 debut solo album by American
alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
musician
Art Alexakis, best known for fronting
Everclear. The album was released by The End Records/BMG and received positive feedback from critics.
Recording and release
''Sun Songs'' was announced on early 2019 with a short promotional tour of the United States and
British Isles
The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...
.
The announcement coincided with Alexakis' revelation that he had been battling
multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting in damage to myelinthe insulating covers of nerve cellsin the brain and spinal cord. As a demyelinating disease, MS disrupts the nervous system's ability to Action potential, transmit ...
for three years, including the recording period for the album.
The process of recording and the lyrical content are introspective of Alexakis' health and reflections on his family life, centering the songwriting on his vocals and
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
.
Although he had never recorded solo material before, the songwriting that Alexakis did as part of his regular routine resulted in songs that he didn't want to use for
Everclear and he entered the studio with a more spontaneous approach to recording.
Critical reception
The editorial staff of
AllMusic Guide gave ''Sun Songs'' four out of five stars, with reviewer
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...
writing that Alexakis draws on his previous musical strength with Everclear but goes in a different direction that is more "bittersweet" without being "reflexively nostalgic" and that the artist "seems intent on not recycling his old ideas".
Track listing
All songs written by
Art Alexakis
#"Sunshine Love Song"– 1:50
#"California Blood"– 3:18
#"A House with a Pool"– 4:01
#"Orange"– 3:33
#"The Hot Water Test"– 4:11
#"Arizona Star"– 2:58
#"Look at Us Now"– 2:12
#"White People Scare Me"– 3:00
#"Sing Away"– 4:10
#"Line in the Sand"– 4:21
#"A Seat at the Table"– 3:29
Personnel
*
Art Alexakis– guitar, bass guitar, vocals, drums,
production
*Sean Carr– studio technician
*Andre Duman– back cover, photography
*Andreas Katsambas–
executive production
*Stuart Schenk–
engineering
Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...
,
mixing, production
*Adam Turner– photography
References
External links
*
*
{{authority control
2019 debut albums
Art Alexakis albums
BMG Rights Management albums
The End Records albums
Albums produced by Art Alexakis