amusingmusings is a brand new feature from Counterzine’s newest contributor, Secat, that riffs and digresses on recent, exciting releases in music, games, television, movies, and more. Today’s amusingmusings covers the latest album from (Sandy) Alex G, ‘House of Sugar.’
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[alec is typing . . . ]
alec: i just think you do this every time a record you like comes out dude
secat: Do what
alec: you gush over it and tell me about how it’s the greatest thing ever and then in like a week you’re all like “oh yeah that albums fine”
secat: No dude this ones DIFFERENT i SWEAR
alec: ok whatever
alec: Are you coming to the movie w/ us tonight or what
secat: Listen
secat: House of Sugar by (Sandy) Alex G –
secat: It is a record made by someone who Knows What He Is Doing
secat: Every track contains at least 3 or 4 Shiver Moments where you get tingly and go “oooh”
alec: so is that a no for the movies then
secat: (Sandy) Alex G is a goddamn connoisseur of sexy, layered chaos
secat: The music is about to crack open like an egg onto your ear
secat: If you would just listen to “Southern Sky” you’d know what I’m talking about—
alec: what that dumbass country thing u played in the car
secat: NO!! it is a Tender Folk Banger you bitch
secat: And, God, then it goes right into “Gretel”?? What the hell. Best back-to-back of 2019, do ya feel me
alec: No I dont feel you
secat: Ok I might be hyperbolic with that one I just
secat: I just really like the two songs OK
secat: OK?
alec: yeah whatever
secat: There is NOTHING whatever about this music. It is composed entirely of GOOD THINGS
secat: Somebody smarter than me once said that (Sandy) Alex G’s work is like, Americana blues rock-y folk with an undercurrent of darkness at its core – like it embodies America, aesthetically
alec: Thats pretentious
secat: Do you even know what that word MEANS
alec: why are you so mad
secat: Im not MAD
secat: Im just PASSIONATE ABOUT (SANDY) ALEX G god dammit!
secat: There are lots of delightfully screwy little production choices—smeary vocal samples stretched out all granular-like, pitched up to accentuate the notes of a conventional instrument (“Taking”), chopped up with little clippy artifacts (“Project 2”) (—> this transitions into a Sick drum thing, holy goodness —> but then that doesn’t really go anywhere. What the hell (Sandy) Alex G)—and they all work together to weave a wonderful baroque little blanket of warm folky cocoa for the ears
alec: folky cocoa. Lol
secat: It just speaks to this really wonderful, current, exciting vision, and I just wanna crack open (Sandy) Alex G’s motherfucking brain and steal his talent !!
alec: That’s gross
secat: Ugh you’re so LAME
secat: Like have you ever even been excited about music in your life you dip
alec: Yeah I have
alec: Im just not weird about it like you
secat: God damn WHATEVERRR
secat: Just give House of Sugar by (Sandy) Alex G a listen. It is candy for the ears. It’s sugar. From the House of Sugar. It’s. It’s aptly named is what I’m trying to say. Aptly named record.
alec: what would u rate it
secat: I dunno like an 8/10 or something?? I don’t rate albums
alec: whattt
alec: No ones gonna read your shit if you don’t
secat: I know, I know
secat: Yeah an 8 I guess. It gets the uhh Secat Seal of Approval
alec: so Best New Music
secat: No nono!! Im not like frickin PITCHFORK ugh
secat: Im not a SELLOUT
secat: But yeah best new music
alec: cool
alec: so howsabout that movie then
secat: Okok I’m omw
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Secat is a musician and writer based in Houston, Texas. To see more of their work, you can follow them on Twitter (@secatsecat) or check out their personal blog at secatsecat.home.blog.
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