Alex Lahey - The Answer Is Always Yes (Album Review)
Monday, 22 May 2023
Written by Craig Howieson
Photo: Pooneh Ghana
It is almost inevitable that all of us will spend time in our lives feeling stuck, in harmful cycles, dead end jobs, relationships that are not right for us, or simply as a result of the social constructs we are subjected to. For Alex Lahey, two critically acclaimed records and a host of impressive songwriting commissions have not left her immune from experiencing that same feeling of having your feet glued to the floor.
But the Australian indie-rocker’s latest release ‘The Answer Is Always Yes’ is not some pity party, it is an earnest, bold and often hilarious interpretation of the forces that can keep us down, and how we can transcend them.
Whether rubbing up against annoying neighbours (Permanent), ruminating on failed relationships (You’ll Never Get Your Money Back) or becoming embroiled in the monotony of touring and inevitable coping mechanisms (The Sky Is Melting), Lahey may feel well and truly trapped at times, but each here is an attempt to propel herself forward.
Starting out with the AM radio rock vibes of Good Time, before touching on slow-burning indie on The Sky Is Melting and prowling gothic of They Wouldn’t Let Me In, Lahey displays new expansiveness to her songwriting. It is perhaps a response to the stasis she had felt in her personal life and, while many of her troubles could be seen as being unique, or at the very least more common, for a touring musician, there is also universality to her words.
Retaining a healthy dose of pop-punk bangers, she looks to unify those who have been cast out, providing a space for those on life's sidelines to find some comfort, and the courage to believe they can loosen themselves from whatever shackles are keeping them penned in.
There is a sweet melodic hangover from Permanent that carries into the album's title track closer, and Lahey suggests that we may never fully resolve our issues or leave behind what held us back. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to. Change can be hard, and as life shifts we are forced to adapt.
Things don’t even have to reach a critical point for you to realise you have become stuck, and moving on from that job or relationship that had become too comfortable might be just the thing to mark a new chapter. As Lahey herself sings on the record's closing lines, “I don’t want it all to be / the way it was before it changed.”
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
.jpg)
