Forever Songs
Buddhaland, 2025
9/10
This 8th album from the California singer-songwriter Shane Alexander welcomes some excellent musicians to 9 songs that span connection, hope, gratitude and personal growth.
The stirring and poetic “Make Your Own Luck” opens with Alexander’s rich voice alongside Chris Pierce’s well timed backing vocals and mature keys, and “Autumn Blue” follows with Fernando Sanchez’s fluid drumming adding much to the melodic and dreamy climate.
Landing in the middle, “Ballad Of The Troubador” builds into an emotive and textured album highlight that uses Vic Ruiz’s bass superbly, while “Whole Lotta Stars” is strong on percussion and atmosphere, where Jesse Siebenberg’s pedal steel won’t go unnoticed.
“Love Find A Way” and “Higher Than High” exit the listen. The former is an intimate moment that comes with a flowing haze of beauty, and the latter is strong mood, as the mesmerizing keys and Tommy Schneller’s sophisticated sax are met with soothing vocal harmonies.
An album of anthems, bouts of melancholy and dance-friendly moments, Alexander’s song craft is full of eloquent storytelling and introspective ideas that will always be timeless.
Travels well with: David Luning- Lessons; Grant Langston- aLAbama