Alex Lloyd - Black the Sun

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Music reviews of Black the Sun

Music Review: A Strong Debut
Rating: 4 Stars

This is inoffensive, solid, enjoyable alternative music, which for the best listening experience should be played while driving. The bass guitar gets a good workout, and surely drives the tracks along that bit more. Think dark.

"Momo" is a standout, and sets the right tone for the album - dark, with a bit of edge. This particular track evokes the images of an outback drive, and the bridge and coda with the harmonica aid this, giving it more of an Australian feel. "Gender" is another song perfect for driving. It has the best bass on the album and is somewhat dark, with attitude that makes it one of the best tracks on the album.

"Black the Sun" also shows shades of the good darkness, including thunder, a travelling zapping sound and something else that makes one wonder if they're hearing someone trying to contact aliens. More darkness appears in "What a Year", which has a sarcastic tone to it.

"Something Special" sounds very commercially-friendly, to the extent that it could've been used in television advertisements for sport. Another commercially friendly - but better - track is "My Way Home", which was released as a single. It's catchy, has strong vocals, has that driving bass, is lively, has light keyboard, as well as use of the xylophone. It's one of my favourites.

"Aliens" is one of two songs that could be described as ballads, but Alex Lloyd is one of those artists who's managed to do it in a way that you won't roll your eyes at. This is a slower track, but it's sweet and lovely, as is "Backseat Clause", which is acoustic.

This is an important album to keep in mind, especially considering his later releases. His second album, "Watching Angels Mend" is more commercially friendly (the hit song "Amazing" is a true example of this), but his third and most recent album, "Distant Light", is said to return to the darkness of "Black the Sun". While that third album was probably released too late to receive an album nomination (it's only been out a few weeks, at the time of writing), its first single, "Coming Home", was enough to earn Alex Lloyd the Best Male Talent award at the 2003 ARIA Awards.

--Erin Horgan, http://www.thenorthernsound.cjb.net

Description of Black the Sun

General CDs

• Styles > Pop
• Adult Alternative
• Rock > General