The best of Alpha Rev reminds me of chart-toppers like The Fray or AR’s one-time tour-mates OneRepublic, except Alpha Rev has yet to produce a song as iconic as “Apologize” or “How to Save a Life.” I feel like they’re capable of it, but haven’t quite gotten there. His lyrics, though, can be nonsensical pablum. Frontman Casey McPherson (and lifelong Austin lover) is clearly a good songwriter with an ear for a catchy melody and just the right chord progression. I don’t quite know what to do with these guys. And all of this self-reflection has come about after my exposure this weekend to Alpha Rev.
I’d like to offer my take while providing the space for readers to explore on their own and come to their own conclusions, which shouldn’t always be the same as mine.
I also recognize that even though I may have certain tastes in music, our readers (and, hell, other writers) don’t completely overlap with that. Personally, I prefer to focus on positive, supportive reviews of bands I like, but that is at odds with my ultimate desire for this site to be a near-comprehensive resource for thoughtful analyses on Austin artists. Around the metaphorical OVRLD offices we often debate about the future directions for our little digital endeavor here.
