For Alexander Gallows, enthusiasm for music began at a very young age. He was about 9 when he got his first acoustic guitar and would eventually go on to teach himself how to play. Aerosmith was one of his early influences, specifically their self-titled album. “My brother and parents listened to music a lot, but the Aerosmith album really made music a major focus for me,” he said in an interview. “I used to play the CD over and over again and then try to learn the Joe Perry licks. This album started it all, and classic rock, folk, and jazz came afterwards. When I was young, I always turned to the guitar, and I would sit in my room, figure songs out, and write new ones.” Along with Aerosmith, some other influences included Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel, and David Bowie. Bowie was especially big for Alexander in terms of songwriting.
Even though he has only released one album, Solitude in 2017, the album paints a nice picture of what is to come. The closest comparison would no doubt be to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and in some ways, it feels like a long overdue sequel to the landmark Deja Vu album. Alexander’s songwriting chops are top notch, and the album, whether by accident or not, is even mastered to sound like it is from that time period, with a warm and rich feel to it. From the political “Love Will Trump All,” to the folk ballad title track which perfectly captures the feelings of loneliness, to the more traditional folk style storytelling of The Crow, Alexander tries and succeeds in emulating his folk heroes. It calls back to a part of the 1970s that unfortunately does not get nearly enough attention in the retro revival community. Although Solitude contains many well-crafted elements, Alex will admit that he has grown as an artist since this album and considers it to be a bit rough. It is definitely worth keeping an eye on him as he improves as an artist.