How Far Away isn't an album I expected this year, but it is one that I'm very happy to have experienced. Brought to us by Alex Bleeker & The Freaks (i.e. the bassist for Real Estate and some highly competent collaborators), the album is sunny, freak-and-twang accented guitar pop that is hitting all the right notes for the beginning of the summer season. Bleeker's rootsy voice - cracks, rasps and all - suits his material, and he and the band take the listener on a sunny, shambling, eleven-track journey. One of the many charms of the album is that its lo-fi approach and imperfections lend an intimate feel to the music and let the songs take center stage. I felt as if I was at a summer evening picnic and Alex and friends had been persuaded to pull out their instruments and entertain us for a while. Lyrically there is some loss, sadness and ended relationships on offer, but none of the events seems fatal; after all, it is summer.
How Far Away is out now on Woodsist.
Woodsist
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