FULL LIFE CONSEQUENCES single cover
On April 7, 2023, Boston-based indie rock musician, Alex Walton, put out FULL LIFE CONSEQUENCES, a single containing songs from their upcoming record, OUR DESIRE LACKS KNOWING MUSIC. These songs, and all others they have made, can be found on music streaming services and Walton’s website, youthagainstsatan.bandcamp.com. Playing on the tracks are Alex Walton, Brendan Dunphy on drums, Alexei Petrov on guitar, and Jaden Cruz on bass.
This new single contains three songs: FULL LIFE CONSEQUENCES, BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY, and BASTARD SONG. These tracks showcase Walton’s impressive poetic, almost rambling, lyricism and the technical talent of them and their band.
On FULL LIFE CONSEQUENCES, the hyper self-aware and self-loathing spirit of 21st century American youth culture is on full display. With lyrics alluding to government agencies drugging roaming gunmen, the nauseous feeling of your internal organs shifting, and suicidal ideation, Walton depicts the realities of living in America with access to the internet. While some of their references can be a bit artsy for a casual listener (they namedrop Les Chants de Maldoror, a classic French poem), they are not the sole focus of the song and one can still get the gist of what they are trying to convey.
The best song on the single from a musical standpoint is far and away, BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY. The song has a bounce to it that is primarily from the bass, played by Jaden Cruz, according to the artist’s bandcamp. The bass really is the cornerstone of this track – it never complicates itself. The bass simply thumps along, driving the song forward and underscoring an already infectious melody that you can’t help but hum sporadically throughout the day.
The single closes with BASTARD SONG, a song about, well, being a bastard – or more importantly owning up to being a bastard. The lyrics on this are typical fare for rock music; ‘I’m a thoughtless jerk, I admit it yadda yadda’ is the general idea of this one. On the musical side of things, it’s also simple and typical of rock music, but the song is catchy enough to the point where I don’t really care about if it’s smart or not… it’s just a good time. This song features Alexei Petrov on bass instead of Jaden Cruz, according to the band’s website.
FULL LIFE CONSEQUENCES gives a sneak peek at Walton’s upcoming record, and based on these songs, it seems like it will be worth a listen. Unfortunately, we do not have an exact date but if I were to hazard a guess, the release could be by the end of the year.
