Alex Bleeker quietly, steadily worked on solo music of his own in tandem with the earliest days of his acclaimed indie band
Real Estate, trickling out albums and EPs that bent a little more toward the stoney, country-fried side of things than the reliably poppy material
Real Estate was known for. After releasing several strong albums with a rotating cast of characters under the banner Alex Bleeker and the Freaks,
Heaven on the Faultline is
Bleeker's first solo outing under his own name, and its 13 songs represent the different avenues of his specific musical identity. Tracks like the straightforwardly hooky "La La La" and several wistful instrumentals ("A/B Ripoff," "Swang") tap into the jangly guitar-based indie rock that's central to
Bleeker's DNA, evoking at turns both the solitude of
Felt and the summery warmth of
Yo La Tengo. These moments pivot quickly to tunes that showcase
Bleeker's affinity for jam bands, in particular the spindly guitar work of
the Grateful Dead's early studio output. Patient and even-keeled songs like "D Plus" and "Reach for My Brain" find a nexus point between indie rock songwriting and the psychedelic influence of
the Dead, where "Mashed Potatoes" takes a far more direct roots rock approach, with a shuffling country blues structure and dusty production in line with the subdued character of
American Beauty.
Bleeker's well-established modes of jangly pop and rustic, psychedelic Americana are joined by experiments with less familiar styles. Album closer "Lonesome Call" finds
Bleeker alone with the guitar delivering a traditional high-plains cowboy tune, while the harsh and dubby "Heavy Tupper" is the polar opposite, with distorted guitars and delay-swaddled vocals that nod to
Suicide. The beautiful "Parking Lot" is another step slightly outside of the usual for
Bleeker. With choruses lifted by the harmonies of vocalist
Kacey Johansing, the song has a melancholic, gliding melody and a reflective tone that make for one of the album's most mature and emotionally resonant pieces. Even when the songs wander stylistically,
Bleeker's friendly and thoughtful songwriting personality ties
Heaven on the Faultline together. The album elevates an already solid solo catalog with some of
Bleeker's most varied and memorable songs to date, bringing out more of the disarming sweetness and hazy beauty that's been the core of his music since the start. ~ Fred Thomas