You might know Alex Maas as a member of a psychedelic-rock band The Black Angels. They have released five albums since 2006 with each one being a dark and somber take on the genre. Alex Maas was the bassist of the band and less utilized as a singer than Christian Bland who was the lead singer of the band. Now, Alex Maas has created his debut solo record entitled Luca which instead of following the band’s psychedelic and garage rock feel has a singer-songwriter and folk style to it.
The album begins with “Slip Into” which features a smooth lo-fi hip-hop-sounding instrumental. Alex Maas has a very monotone throughout the track’s moody and dark instrumental. “The Light That Will End Us” features a string section. Alex’s vocals on the track are very spacious and allow for his words of loss to hit stronger. “Special” is a love song about feeling important when the other person gives them attention. “500 Dreams” is a dreamier style song with a passionate performance by Alex where he encourages someone to keep dreaming for him. “What Would I Tell Your Mother” is a depressing song about loss and having to tell the mother of the person who died that they have passed. It’s soul-crushing and somber. “American Conquest” is the most traditional folk song on the album. The song is a commentary on mass shootings in American where Alex repeats the phrase “How many people are gonna die of lead” The closing track “The City” is the best song on the album. Instead of the unique instrumentals similar to Bon Iver on the previous tracks, Alex Maas utilizes an acoustic guitar and his voice to tell the story. His voice is more emotional and vibrant than the laidback style he presented on the previous tracks.
Alex Maas shows his solo talent on this debut record and was able to distinguish himself from the band’s sound to create a project that was truly his vision.
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