Hello reader,
Welcome back.
Today, we’re going to delve a bit more into Montreal-based singer-songwriter and frontwoman Roxanne Izzo, who you should listen to more. A few months ago, we were thrilled to premiere the video for one of the singles from her upcoming album, Made, after she caught our attention with notes that she was greatly inspired by Paul Westerberg. But before we get into that new album, let’s talk about Izzo first. Izzo’s bio on the Hell For Breakfast site introduces her to her future listeners with the following descriptions: “Roxanne Izzo’s world resides somewhere between brash fearlessness and crippling vulnerability. Somewhere between pure blissful innocence and the feeling of having lived thousands of lives. Somewhere between angst and tenderness. And it’s that paradox that manifests itself into the Montreal-based songwriter’s words. Combining existential cynicism with pop sensibility and raw live energy, Roxanne Izzo writes songs for those who will always fall somewhere in between. Those who may never truly be understood — but will keep singing regardless.” On some level, I think we can all relate to that, right? Some wear that mindset on their sleeve and practice it outwardly; others are more reserved, but it is still integral to their core. Right on.
Izzo’s debut EP was 2024’s Misery’s New Postergirl. After you finish this review, I recommend you listen to that musical work of art. We’re blessed that on Friday, September 25th, for your listening pleasure comes via the Hell For Breakfast label, Izzo’s debut full-length album, Made.
From Izzo herself via press release, “Made is an album that lies somewhere between post-punk and jangle pop. It is an existentialist, observational, and rebellious work. It questions the imperfect system in which we live: ‘What is life if not a lesson learned through the tax of perception?’ With Made, we navigate, with a strange optimism, the themes of solitude, the violence of creation, faith, and maintaining one’s integrity in a decaying world.”
Giving credit where it’s due. The Made album credits include being recorded live at Mixart Studios in Montreal by Izzo’s band: brother and primary producer, Max Izzo on guitar, another brother Alex Izzo on drums, and Lawrence Leylekian on bass. Boris Petrowski engineered the album, and Jack Shirley mixed and mastered it at The Atomic Garden in California.
And now for some hype for your ears for four songs and your eyes for two songs via a collab between the Slam Disques / Hell for Breakfast YouTube channel and Roxanne Izzo’s YouTube channel. The opening song, “Teresa”:
(All credits and rights to Roxanne Izzo and Slam Disques / Hell for Breakfast)
Press play and listen to the song “Deity’s World.” What 90’s movie would you add this to the soundtrack of?:
The black-and-white horror show. The credited freaks in their vintage-looking, hand-crafted, haunting masks within the video for the catchy song, “Sludge Metal”:
(All credits and rights to Roxanne Izzo and Slam Disques / Hell for Breakfast)
And press play to hear the album’s incredible closer, “Flux”:
While Roxanne Izzo and her band may have been inspired by bands and sounds of the past, the album they have crafted, Made, remains their own. Within the twelve-song album, they explore faith, solitude, the modern world, and angst with a creative, at times cynical, mindset balanced with twinges of optimism. The resulting series of songs is a great offering for its listeners and a fantastic debut for Izzo. There’s enough variation in the music to keep all entertained. At the album’s best, you’ll relish in the songwriting and song craft, enjoying the melodies and essential thoughts while grounded in song and reality here on Earth. That’s not meant to be pessimistic but rather appreciative, as you will be taken back a few decades in time, as there’s a lot of vintage in the melodies on this release and the melodies are tight-knit, not spacey jam-bandy types of songs. Think 90s, and you’ll be in the right mindset to listen to this album. Throughout the album, Izzo treats listeners to vivid descriptions that take us along on two- to three-minute adventures. I think the lyrics, which often go back and forth in a juxtaposed fashion even within the same line at times, were cathartic for Izzo and will be cathartic for some listeners as well. Those who have changed faiths, or even examined their upbringing with a critical but honest lens, will relate to these lyrics. But don’t just take my word for it. Buckle in, listen for yourself, and tell us what you think.
The album opens with rollicking, guitar-forward melodies from the Izzo brothers, with propulsive drums driving the beat, while Roxanne Izzo is deep in reflection, examining and communicating back to us. That continues for the first three songs, “Teresa,” “If You’re Seeing This, It’s A Sign,” and “Alternate Reality,” and changes as we meet the fourth song, “Are You Satisfied?” As a Replacements fan, I see the title and think of one of their best, most impactful songs, “Unsatisfied”. This is not that, nor is it trying to be. This is more emotive, with a late-90s-and-newer kind of melody, and the BPM from the drums and guitar is faster than any previous song on this album so far. Kudos on the tight musicianship. While listening to the next song, “Deity’s World,” and its melody, I feel like I’m still in the 90s melodically, and this song could’ve been included on at least a handful of movie soundtracks of the decade. All this while having lyrics that personify throughout. I dig the titular track “Made” and all of its energy and examinations. The melody pairs with it fantastically. A common theme on the entire album, which flows well from one song to the next and the next after that.
The midpoint in the album, “Disaster,” has a foundation rooted in its strong drumbeat and does a lovely job at personification, giving life and actions to concepts like chivalry, naivety, the divine, and the titular, divine. As quickly as some of the previous songs move, “Astroturf” moves so damn fast, and plays like a punk rock song at a blistering 2:00 runtime. This is the second-shortest runtime on the album, after the opener “Teresa” at 1:59. The next song, “Almost,” slows the BPM and adds gorgeous funk to its melody, pairing it with lyrics about resignation and seemingly accepting fate by the closing words. The song after that, “Sludge Metal,” paints a picture of companionship, the importance of driving around while listening to sludge metal music. Recency bias, perhaps, when I hear the title, Dinosaur Jr. first comes to mind for me. The second-to-last song on Made, “Innocent Men,” is a journey. Jangly guitars and a lot of critical examination and reflection throughout the tune.
The last song, “Flux,” turns the jangle and back-and-forth play of the guitars and drums up to 11. The pacing is incredible and showcases the musicianship of the Izzo brothers and bass guitarist Leylekian. This is paired with angst and tumultuous vocals, delivered by Roxanne Izzo, that made me feel like I was in the 90s in the era of the incredibly strong female singer-songwriters, which is thankfully experiencing a renaissance of incredible femme-presenting led groups in the 2020s. Izzo’s lyrics are at their sharpest here: they constantly seek answers, with every line examined and every sentence exploring contradictory thoughts, with phrases at the beginning that differ from the end. It’s all done so well. It’s a song I would suggest listening to with just your ears the first time, then grabbing the lyrics and listening along with them the second time. The song is one hell of a way to end an album, in the best ways.
Made gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. This, as always with all Scum Drops ratings, is relative to all new albums in this calendar year. Which would place the album well within the 72nd-83rd of all 2026 new albums. Kudos. It is a very good debut. There’s plenty to like, and it is a great introduction to Roxanne Izzo’s world, showcasing her talent as a songwriter, bandleader and melody creator. Along with the musicianship of the rest of her assembled band. I think this is Izzo’s stepping stone, not her magnum opus. Some never complete a work this good, and yet for Izzo, I am confident there’s more that will come at some point. Kudos. Add Made to your collection in whatever format you can find. Personally, I hope there’s a vinyl release at some point.
I’ll always advocate taking the time to listen to every album in its entirety. Listening to Made will take 38 minutes from start to finish and a mere 76 minutes if you listen twice back-to-back. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs, free from the influence or bias of others. After several listens, I found the songs highlighted in green below to be my favorites on this album.
The tracklist for Made (song length)
- Teresa (1:59)
- If You’re Seeing This, It’s A Sign (3:18)
- Alternate Reality (2:18)
- Are You Satisfied? (3:15)
- Deity’s World (3:18)
- Made (3:18)
- Disaster (3:52)
- Astroturf (2:00)
- Almost (3:34)
- Sludge Metal (3:37)
- Innocent Men (3:28)
- Flux (3:57)
Total runtime: 38:01
Check out Izzo’s socials via Linktree, Instagram, and Facebook, and listen to more of her music on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music Canada pages.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Do you like reading reviews of newly released music? Here are a few more reviews that have appeared on SWT.
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 and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
