Hello Reader,
Welcome back. How have you been?
Today, we’re going to delve into up-and-coming musician Alexander Biggs. He’s an Australian-born artist now based in LA who got onto my radar with a press release last year with news of a new album. I listened to a few songs, and I was hooked. I think you’ll also love what you hear on it, which is a huge reason we’re advocating for him today. Biggs’ first release was the Still You Sharpen Your Teeth EP in 2017, followed by Whatever Helps You Sleep EP in 2018, with his debut full-length album, Hit or Miss released in 2021. This has helped him receive over 30 million streams on his Spotify page, playing on stage and supporting talented bands and artists such as Julien Baker, Evan Dando (The Lemonheads) & Frightened Rabbit.
And now, Biggs is back with his second album. On Friday, February 7th, Biggs’ self-produced, self-released endeavor, Stay with the Horses, is out independently for your listening pleasure. Vinyl fans, there was a pre-order for the vinyl version via Impressed Recordings that can be found right here as well.
Giving credit where it’s due, Stay with the Horses album credits:
- Written, recorded, mixed & produced by Alexander Biggs
- Mastered by Jesse Oberin
- Additional production on “pocket protector” by Kat Edwards
- Scribbling & album cover photo by Alexander Biggs
- Design by Zachary Threlkeld
And now for some hype for your ears, several songs from Biggs’ Bandcamp page:
Overall, Stay with the Horses sees Biggs taking several steps forward in his artistry to create what I’d defend as his best work yet. Not that the previous works were bad, but this is noticeably better. Maybe due in part to the gap between albums, to exist, to contemplate and right oneself. To obtain inner peace. Listen to the entire album and tell me what you think. There’s truly a lot to like in this album. The songwriting and lyrics show improvement in how well they are crafted and executed. The hooks offer more earworms than previous albums and stay with you for a while. The compositions sound fuller and richer, and the quality of the songs remains steady from the start to the end of this album. The lyrical and melodic themes have some wonderful overlap and flow well from one to another to another, making for a lovely flow during your listening. Biggs’ vocal deliveries and tone have some variance to match the melodies well. He puts his entire being, including his voice, into the songs. I like what I heard and listener, you will too.
The opening song, “pocket protector,” is a fantastic tone-setter of what to expect during your listening experience within this album. The album’s melody is led by some deft work on keys featuring progressions that ride up and down like a wave underneath Biggs’ vocals that are honest and personable. The chorus explores loneliness and longing, while the rest of the lyrics explore a myriad of emotions that come with human existence.
The second song, “don’t mean a thing” uses a chorus with fury to achieve resolution and seems to almost achieve closure by the end. The song’s refrain is impossible not to have stuck in your head as an earworm—perhaps the first of several you’ll encounter within this album. The melody has more guitar-based elements than the first song and serves as a bridge between the opener and third song in terms of melodic sound. “bullfighter” opens with some fingerpicking on acoustic guitar as Biggs’ vocals build in step with the melody. It’s the second consecutive that features lyrics exploring romance and relationships.
The first part of “r u nervous” that stands out and ultimately sticks with me is the keys. They’re beautifully played, and the pacing yields a sweet underlying sound that moves at a brisk but not rushed pace. Relative to the previous songs on this album and also relative to the average song. The second part that captures my attention and holds it is the build-up, resulting in an amazing crescendo. This impressive collection of noise then immediate quiet is a beautiful composition that pairs well with Biggs’ anxious lyrics and vocal delivery.
Manipulated white noise kicks off “digital clock,” which transitions to fingerpicking acoustic guitar and eventually drums on top of Biggs’ melancholy vocal delivery, which pairs well with lyrics that look back at passing moments.
The sixth song on the album, “all the bruises,” features Biggs delivering strained vocals that again perfectly match the weary lyrics and slower-moving melody. About two-thirds into the song, a beautiful chorus of voices creates an anthem sound. My brain was taken back to a few Frightened Rabbit songs from the early 2010s.
Biggs uses a microphone effect while delivering the opening vocals to “sleeping in,” which then transform into unaltered vocals with tiredness that matches the depressive state and perspective of the lyrics.
The melody of “I used to know what I wanted” sways as you listen, seemingly matching some of the indecision in the lyrics. Within the so-called indecision is decisiveness from Biggs’ lyrics, the perspective of having cognizance and presence of mind. The melody is a jam at times, featuring some great keys, drums, and guitar that also move to serve as the foundation for the song to sway. The chorus is a killer refrain, an earworm that will stick with you for a while.
The synth and programming beats of “Know Your Style” are well done. About one-third into the song, the higher-pitched theremin-like sounds get a solo. Later, the same sounds create a stark contrast between the rest of the melody and vocal delivery. The lyrics are delivered in a downtrodden tone.
The final song on the album, “know it now,” incorporates elements from the previous songs’ melodies, vocal deliveries, and lyrics. Though the lyrics might be the darkest yet, the pacing, reflection, tone, and instrumentation are fitting ways to wrap it up and close it out. Kudos and thank you.
Stay with the Horses gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. It’s only February, and it’s far too early to predict where this release will be relative to all other new albums at the end of the year. But the 4 Scum Drop range territory seems like a perfect fit after many listens to this one. Biggs’ vocal delivery, tone, and melodies will warm the hearts and brains of Ben Gibbard and Elliott Smith fans, among others. Their genres have been called various things over the years, from Sad Basterdy to emo to many others. Regardless of genre name, it’s music that the artist pours a lot of themselves into and makes you feel emotion on many levels. Sticking with you more profoundly and longer than a large portion of pop or seemingly silly rock songs. I recommend adding this one to your collection in the format of your choosing. Vinyl lovers, scroll up to click that pre-order link.
Stay with the Horses Track listing (song length)
- pocket protector (3:38)
- don’t mean a thing (2:42)
- bullfighter (2:28)
- r u nervous (3:45)
- digital clock (2:47)
- all the bruises (3:33)
- sleeping in (2:58)
- I used to know what I wanted (3:56)
- know your style (3:23)
- know it now (3:22)
Total runtime: 32:32
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. From start to finish, the listening process with Stay with the Horses will take just over a half hour. Listen to it twice, back to back, and it’s just an hour of your time. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After a few listens on my own, I found the songs highlighted in green font above to be my favorite songs on this album.
Want to hear more? Visit Biggs’ Bandcamp page and his Linktree, which features all his socials and more content.
Thank you for reading and continuing to support good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
