Alex The Astronaut - “Growing Up”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 7

Pairs Well With…Lucy Spraggan, Maggie Rogers, Alex Lahey

Alex the Astronaut’s debut studio full-length The Theory of Absolutely Nothing came out in Summer 2020 and expectedly highlighted the Australian artist’s top-notch songwriting both in terms of lyrically powerful stories and hooky pop/rock melodies. Collecting existing tracks and new earworms like highlight “I Think You’re Great”, the record is so earnest that it sounds like a hug in moments both crushingly sad and exuberantly hopeful. Alex has since been looking forward with “Growing Up”, a strong contender for her best track with a sound that is concurrently building and introspective. (Kevin McStravick) 

2020 Review: Alex the Astronaut dips into pop, rock, and folk forms across her catalog, but it’s the Australian upstart’s immediate and poignant songwriting that stands out no matter the genre she’s exploring. Personal, clever, and vulnerable, Alex’s lyrics come together as true stories. She has a way of revealing deeper layers as tracks continue, nicely shown on a pair her strongest tracks “Happy Song” and 2019 single “I Like to Dance”. The latter evolves new-love euphoria into the raw pain of domestic assault, a heartbreaking tune that is as moving as it is crushing. By twisting lyrical expectations in new and unexpected ways, Alex opens herself up to create a unique musical identity.