Formed by the bassist of Real Estate, Alex Bleeker and the Freaks drops their second album this week, How Far Away, out on the Woodsist label. Having assembled a motley crew of bandmates and friends for this side-project, Bleeker croons with all the wistful fragility of a tenderfoot while backed by a ramshackle of jangly instrumentals to produce a pleasingly ragtag collection of ruminative folk music.
There are the campfire-pop tunes; “Don’t Look Down” and “Who Are You Seeing?” step up to the plate with instantly catchy refrains, bright guitar strums, and melodic canters. Bluesy whines steer the heart-broken bemoaning of “Leave on the light,” while funky instrumental play underscores the relaxed stroll and reflective guitar of “See You on Sunday.” Experimental dabbling surfaces in the amp-filtered vocals of the modest “Home I Love” as well as in the spacey synths of the drawn-out “Time Cloud.” And the sway-with-me vibe of “Rhythm Shakers” is a perfect Woodstock throwback.
While bright refrains and vocal harmonies give this album an undeniable social feel, thematically it seems intended for folks lonesome-at-heart. Lyrics more or less are about coping with life post-heartbreak, reflecting particularly on the partner-that-was, as well as the directions that life might proceed towards now. It never tries too hard, and, like a past flame, it’ll take some time to shake off its hold on your memory. How Far Away lingers in your mind in a way that predicts you’ll miss it someday soon.
