Anyways, tonight is really a blog two and a half months in the making. Remember the other night I touched on a lot of good music I was listening to? Well, back in June (the 23rd to be precise) I was fortunate enough to finally see one of my favourite musicians, Jay Nash play in London. That night he played with the equally brilliant Joey Ryan, who I wrote a blog all about back in June but they were accompanied by another musician, a man who I must confess I knew little about (apart from his friendship with Greg Holden and that he's based between London and New York), Alex Berger.
Now then imagine the scenario if you can. It was very hot and humid in London, I'd had a whole day of alcoholic refreshment (not drunk, just socially enjoying the cool offerings), my mind had been split wide open by Joey Ryan and then blown into little pieces by Jay Nash that by the time Alex hit the stage at about 10:30pm I was pretty much in mental meltdown. Anyways, Alex played a set which, if I'm honest I paid attention to at a slightly more than peripheral level not really capable of comprehending much more around me. I did grab a couple of videos, did a bit of research over the next month and fell totally in love with his song Your Last Night in Queens (which I will openly admit is one of the most beautifully constructed songs my ears have heard in years).
So fast forward to the start of August, the 6th to be precise. Greg Holden's back in London for the first time in 11 months, tickets are purchased, Alex is on the bill and I resolve to pay the utmost of attention and absorb what's going on around me. The room is hotter than the sun and I'm sweating like a geordie in a maths test (sorry, only the Brits are going to get that reference). Nonetheless sat on the floor like an old assembly at school with well over 100 people around me, I listened and was totally swept away by Alex's brilliance.
A sublime pianist, competent guitarist, outstanding songwriter, great storyteller, Alex ripped into a set consisting of Pop/Folk (Polk...as in...Poke!) songs pretty much all from his debut album, Snow Globe and a couple of new songs he'd written since the album. In fact I was so utterly blown away that as soon as the gig finished I made a rapid beeline to go and buy a copy of the album and we chatted for seemingly ages.
The next day mooching around in the car spending some time with someone extremely special to me (you know who you are!), we agreed to put Alex's CD Snow Globe on. The album, produced by the incredible Alex Wong (of numerous projects including The Paper Raincoat with the the equally outstanding AmbeR Rubarth) left us both sat pretty much mesmerised throughout only breaking silence to raise a smile at some of the more light-hearted lyrics in some of his songs including the French lyrics in Portia (a girl who Alex once dated) or to discuss the brilliance of what we were listening to. I instantly fell in love even further with Your Last Night in Queens (a song which has subsequently been listened so much it might even be in the 3 figures by now), Snow Globe, Where I Left You Last and Magic.
Alex recently played a gig at the brilliant Bedford in South London which sadly I couldn't make it to but watched it online. The show is still available, (just scroll it through till about 36:30).
Watch live video from The Bedford Live on Justin.tv
Go check him out, the album is still getting serious play time on my iPod and he's around on the London music circuit for a few more months yet, you won't be disappointed trust me!
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