THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “As Alex Izenberg was piecing together the sweeping, psychedelic opuses on his full-band debut Alex Izenberg & The Exiles, the Los Angeles artist was focused on a simple goal: Making something built to last.
At the heart of his songs are bold ideas that take inspiration from the heady musings of philosopher Alan Watts, the multi-layered storytelling of King Crimson, and the imagistic vistas of Fleet Foxes. While the subject matter may feel esoteric — “My unconscious named the tongue / Of the lights of closed eyes” goes a characteristic lyric — Izenberg and his band let the music drift pleasantly to earth. The melodies are romantic and warm, and the arrangements are invitingly expansive, making expert use of a new ensemble formed around the strongest songs of his career.
Fitting for a record that collects Izenberg’s widest array of collaborators, he expanded his process further by enlisting veteran producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty, Built to Spill) to mix the album. The resulting sound is just as intimate as any of Izenberg’s more hermetic material, while casting a mystical, communal glow that feels brand new in his body of work.
The core of the band is Izenberg’s childhood friend and primary collaborator, multi-instrumentalist Greg Hartunian. The pair co-produced the record at Tropico Beauty in Glendale, California, where they let the songs carve out their own paths, building from Izenberg’s intensive, months-long writing process. They soon let an array of collaborators into the conversation, including drummer Jay Rudolph (Weyes Blood), keyboardist Tyler Cash (Devendra Banhart), bassist Max Whipple (Sparks), pedal steel guitarist Connor Gallaher (Lana Del Rey), saxophonist Colin Kupka, guitarist Dashiell Le Francis, and vocalists Marina Allen, Juliana Giraffe, Gracie Jackson and Colby Nathan. Accompanied by gorgeous string arrangements from Izenberg and Cynthia Tolson (Muna), the record marks a bold new introduction for a timeless songwriter.
Nearly every song feels like the centerpiece, and for the first time in Izenberg’s career, the dazzling sound matches the grandness of his vision. And yet, old habits die hard and he still delights in misdirection. On Alex Izenberg & The Exiles, his message has never been more direct, his voice has never been clearer, and his beautiful, untraceable logic has never felt more suited to the world around him.”
