The Indie-folk singer songwriter produces some fine moments on his debut album.
The 26-year-old Texan was studying Film at University in Califonia when he dropped out to give music a go full time. He lived at the Dittman Family Commune, a collective that could trace a clear line all the way book to the counter culture movement of the 1960s. After a few years developing different interests Amen returned to a primary focus of music, launching his first EP, The Zorthian Tapes, in 2025.
This is a calm, mellow album. It is firmly routed stylistically in an older approach going back to the 1960s and 1970s and, as is is the current craze, was recorded on authentic equipment from the time. It is something of a mixed bag. For every brilliant highlight like ‘Diamonds’ there is another track like ‘Cabin By The Sea’ that feels a little bit more twee in construction and execution. Over the course of ten tracks it ends up a little bit too static in the pacing to be a heavyweight album. Whilst authentic in styling, it lacks the immediacy and energy that made Jalen Ngonda’s backwards facing Motown album feel like such a fresh and modern triumph.
A closer comparison style in the singing would be to Tyler Ballgame, again, whilst interested in older sounds, Ballgame sounds fresh and, at times, soars to very high levels. Here the retro stylings extend to the look, photography and album cover as well.
This is a fun and undemanding listen, easy and at times warm of heart. There are a number of strong tracks that elevate the overall feel of it. If you give it your time it will not feel like time wasted, it just leaves you with the feeling that Alex Amen has all of the tools to do a better job and be more successful in the outcomes.
Essential tracks: ‘Diamonds,’ ‘Peaches,’ ‘Her Spirit Wanders’
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