The new album from the Real Estate bassist may be a bit inconsistent and rough, but one can find numerous gems that show why Alex Bleeker is a lovably charismatic singer and songwriter.
Alex Bleeker is the bassist from New Jersey's Real Estate. Not only are Real Estate one of the best indie rock bands over the past decade or so, but they are also one of my favorite bands. Each member really provides their own personality and talents to that table, from the themes of nature and time from Martin Courtney to the complex guitar excursions from Julien Lynch. Alex Bleeker, on the other hand, provides the groovy bass and a freeing vibe of relaxed bliss. That's what I get from Alex when he's singing on a Real Estate track every now and then or from his solo output, which I have not heard until I heard Heaven on the Faultine, his new solo album. I do get a sense of freestyle, playfulness, and overall joy when I hear this record. He definitely brings more psychedelic tones into his solo music compared to Real Estate. It's quite a mix of different jams that seem all over the place and can be inconsistent at times, but Heaven on the Faultine I find to be quite breezy and amateurish in a way. This album is a bit messy and rough around the edges, unlike Real Estate's recently polished output (Atlas, In Mind, The Main Thing). There's a playful "let's see what happens" vibe that I get from Bleeker, similar to that of a Mac Demarco. It has a demo quality in many spots on the record, which can be both admirable and irritating at times.
Let's talk about the good first. There are tunes that are truly enjoyable, fun, and blissful. At times, some remind me of Real Estate b-sides or songs that didn't make it onto albums. The title track is a lovely ballad that's psychedelic with its whirring synths and acoustic instrumentation of classic piano and guitar. The guitars on "Felty Feel" are twangy and burst out of the sun and would have snugly fit onto In Mind back in 2017 (and so are the "Swang" and "Twang" instrumentals). "Mashed Potatoes" is an acoustic ballad and probably my fave track on the album. Bleeker has a hushed delivery similar of M. Ward's on this track in particular, wanting a cup of coffee, mashed potatoes, and juice. I couldn't agree more: that combination sounds gross and fantastic at the same time. Cracker Barrel, please start selling that combo platter. I love the lush soulful vocals on the "Parking Lot" ballad. Other quieter moments like "Tamalpais" are very enjoyable too. I almost forgot to mention "La La La," which is the album's best and put together pop song that is about the reliability of a loved one.
Now, let's talk about some of the lows. When I first heard lead single "D Plus," I really loved the looping guitar groove over the backing instrumentation. After numerous listens though, the groove really gets stale fast. This sole guitar groove is really the song and it doesn't exactly change or shift enough to make it worth sitting through the five and a half minute runtime. Once you hear it through, it really either should've stopped at three minutes or it really could use some added chords or some different changes in the song. It's too bad really, because i think the groove is great, but it really needs something else to keep it interesting. There are a couple of other instrumentals that are very tedious and should have been left on the cutting room floor. The intro "A / B Ripoff" ironically sounds like a Mac Demarco ripoff from one of his demo collections. "Heavy Tupper" may have playful intentions, but it's straight up obnoxious: everything from the guitar grooves to the heavy synths and bass. It's blurry and freaky and a unique moment on the album, but it's just too annoying for me to enjoy.
I do like what Alex Bleeker brings to Real Estate and what he brings to a solo album. He has a wonderful and huggable personality that makes me want to have a cup of joe with. This album is really a take what you want buffet style approach: it has a little bit of everything. But at the end of the day I have to rank this album as a whole. It's likable, enjoyable, and I really appreciate many of these ideas on here. Heaven on the Faultine is a bit rough and could definitely use some tweaking. Many of these songs are demo quality and although I do sometimes like that about certain music, some of the faults in the faultine can be a little annoying. Overall though, Alex Bleeker is a lovably charismatic singer and songwriter with Real Estate and can be on his own too with Heaven on the Faultine.
My Rating: 6 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Mashed Potatoes," "La La La," "Heaven on the Faultine," "Parking Lot"
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