Rob’s Album Of The Week: Alex Maas’ Luca

When it comes to psychedelic music in the 21st Century, The Black Angels from Austin definitely belong in the upper echelon. The city they call home is the birthplace of the American spin on the genre and their sound is dark, fuzzy and electrifying. Vocalist, bassist and organist Alex Maas has been the haunting crooner for the band since their inception in 2004. This year, he decided to release his debut solo album, Luca, via Innovative Leisure on December 4. The record leans more towards the folk side of things but the ethereal elements present in the act Maas leads is still present.

There’s more of a stripped down style within the debut and the tones from Maas’ acoustic guitar play a big part. The lyrics being conveyed are very evocative and the aesthetic seems to come from another dimension. It’s atmospheric while also having a certain substance that holds it all together. Imagine a setting where a singer-songwriter is performing in a world where spirits are whisking around and dancing to the music. That’s the primary way I can describe how the senses react to the album in a visual sense.

Things are getting a bit scary in my home state of Rhode Island. The smallest state in America has now become the biggest COVID-19 hotspot in the world. This place is literally beating out entire countries in rates of infection, which is a wild thing to see…