"Alex G's not so sure he's the real thing. With ten acclaimed albums and an adoring cult fanbase, I'm sure that he is."
Alex G has gained cult status since the early 2010s, through his self-released albums on Bandcamp and a seemingly endless well of unreleased music on YouTube. He's somewhat elusive, retaining a very private personal life even after gaining broader recognition through the years. Now after ten studio albums, countless tours, and now the support of a major label, Alex G has cemented himself as a true indie rock star.
His latest album Headlights was released on Friday, his major label debut on RCA. It has all the sleek production of his last album God Save the Animals, which was his first record made with producer Jacob Portrait in an actual studio. Headlights retains the DIY warmth of his earlier albums, and it feels like a bit more of a return to form. Some tracks feel like they would fit right in on Trick or House of Sugar. It isn't included on this list because it's a bit too new- gotta let it marinate.
"A friend showed me the song Mary in high school. The fuzzy guitar, the warmth of the production, the taunting lyrics, the feeling it gave me- I was hooked. That was 10-ish years ago, and Alex G has been my top artist every year, no contest. I've had the privilege of seeing him live several times, (including a very sweaty intimate release show on an indoor soccer field in NYC a few days ago) and the excitement I feel never wanes. I'm hoping the afterlife is just me, my headphones, and Gretel playing on an infinite loop.
Something that comes through in every interview and many of his songs is how humble of a person he is. On his new album Headlights, the track Real Thing captures this perfectly. He sings "I never thought I was the real thing / Thеre were certain tests that I thought I would pass." Alex G's not so sure he's the real thing. With ten acclaimed albums and an adoring cult fanbase, I'm sure that he is.
Taking on the task of assigning a number to each of his albums felt daunting, but I really just loved the opportunity to talk about my very favorite artist."
From the self-produced Bandcamp days to the maturation of his iconic sound, come along as Rough Trade NYC's social media manager Jess does the hard job of ranking Alex G's discography. Where did your favorite land?
8. Rules (2012)
"Every day I'm getting older / But every day I feel the same"
Rules, like Trick, feels like a very classic Alex G album, and like many of his early albums, was originally only released on Bandcamp. It was released in January 2012, when he was only 19. I personally consider Alex G a child prodigy, from the sheer amount of incredible music he wrote before he was even old enough to drink.
Mis and Sandy are the biggest heart-wrenchers here. Rules, Wicked Boy, and Good telling the story of a kid trying to grapple with the person everyone thinks he should be, and the unspoken rules of growing up.
Yes, of course, I was angstily listening to this album on the floor of my dorm room.
7. House of Sugar (2019)
"It's okay we don't cry / we love the southern sky"
House of Sugar being so low on this list perfectly sums up the impossible task of truly ranking Alex G's albums. The truth is, the G-man never misses. House of Sugar is cosmic cowboy music, like tales from a Western settlement on Mars. The three-track run of Hope, Southern Sky, and Gretel levitates me out of my body.
We follow a cast of characters that make the record almost feel like a concept album; Crime tells the story of an outlaw on the run, hiding out with his lover while another pays for his misdeeds. In My Arms and Cow are twangy, earnest love songs, but we still get experimental instrumental tracks like Project 2 and Sugar.
It's an incredible album, but hey, we're here to make the hard choices.
6. God Save the Animals (2022)
"How many more songs am I supposed to write / Before I should turn it off and say goodnight?"
God Save the Animals is Alex's most mature release, and maybe his biggest departure from his usual style. GSTA saw Alex stepping into the studio with producer Jacob Portrait for the first time, leaving behind the DIY production of his previous albums. The result is a cleaner, more refined sound, and more ambitious experimentation. No Bitterness and Immunity, with their auto-tuned vocals and thumping bass, border on hyperpop. Runner sounds like a hit suited for mainstream radio in the best way.
The album feels very existential, the worries of a man about to become a father standing at a crossroads in his career- it was his last record before signing to major label RCA. It's a bit of a grower, but it's worth it.
5. Race (2010)
"You were born inside your head and that is where you'll be when you are dead"
Angst, growing pains, janky piano, and screeching guitars. Released right at the turn of the decade, Race further cements my child prodigy theory, as he was only 17 when it was recorded. It's messy and his most DIY effort, and perhaps his most charming. Race was apparently originally released under the name of his high school band Skin Cells, who only really still exist in various lo-fi YouTube compilations.
Another album where the line between character vignettes and personal anecdotes is blurred. Comfort music for teens stuck in the suburbs.
Favorite tracks: Gnaw, Crab, Things To Do
4. DSU (2014)
"I am not the boy you knew"
DSU was one of the first vinyl releases for Orchid Tapes in 2014. Echoey drums, feedback-laced guitars, and poignant lyricism showcase his diverse talents while keeping the classic and comforting Alex G sound. DSU stands for Dream State University, a name which he apparently found "too cheesy" at the last minute, hence the acronym.
There's the numb sadness of Hollow and Sorry, the quiet contemplation of Waiting for You and Skipper, the scream-along fun of Icehead and Harvey. It's dreamy and warbled and expansive, still with the distinct sound that it was made in somebody's bedroom.
3. Trick (2012)
"I wanna be famous / Do you think they want me?"
Trick is probably the most ubiquitous Alex G record, with such an influential sound that has inspired countless indie acts through the past 13 years. Tracks like Mary and Sarah exploded on TikTok, further cementing his cool-kid-cult-status. It's the album I recommend first to anyone wanting to get into his music, it's so quintessential to him and especially his earlier work.
It's loose and heartbreaking (Change, ouch) and warm and fuzzy and everything a good bedroom pop album should be.
2. Beach Music (2015)
"Life was easy for a dog like me"
We made it to my favorite album of all time! Truly no skips. It's incredibly devastating but also indescribably healing. Beach Music is so cohesive, it's like one big 37-minute song. There is such a richness to the production, evident on tracks like Thorns and Salt. Brite Boy and Mud are your heartbreak anthems, and Station feels intimately autobiographical. It makes you feel nostalgic for something you never experienced, a bittersweet pit lovingly placed in the bottom of your stomach.
Next time you have a long train ride home, or take a walk on a foggy night, put Beach Music in your headphones and let it float you away.
1. Rocket (2017)
"Wanna be a star like you / Wanna make something that's true"
This was not an easy choice to make, but hear me out. Rocket perfectly encapsulates everything Alex G does well (which is a lot). Poison Root and Powerful Man are the quiet, haunting folk songs. Witch and Horse are genuinely frightening, getting progressively noisier from song to song and culminating in the harsh, screaming catharsis of Brick. County and Guilty are light and jazzy. Bobby and Sportstar are the ballads, rife with yearning.
Rocket is like an Alex G care package. Twangy indie folk, kitschy jazz, somber guitar, noise rock, synths and organs- it really showcases his talent for the odds and ends and everything in between. Rocket is where his whole discography meets at one point. One perfectly imperfect, fuzzy, weird, beautiful point.