Wednesday morning, as I took the ten minute walk from my apartment to the UK classroom building, I received a text from my brother. It was a link to rising Australia musician, Alex Lahey's debut EP, B-Grade University. As it were, I already had my headphones out, so I went ahead and pressed play on the first track. Halfway through "Ivy League," my phone started to ring with a call from my brother. He told me to listen to that very song, "It's my life," he said. And, listening to lyrics like, "If I was an Ivy League / Kind of girl / Do you think that they would give me more / Shifts at work" and "I went to B-Grade university / And got myself an arts degree" certainly hit close to home for him, a music performance major and me, a writing major. We haven't graduate yet, but with our lines of study, we're certainly scared for that day.
The remainder of the EP covers a series of other emotions and existential woes felt by most 20-somethings. The tracks, "Let's Go Out," "Wes Anderson," "You Don't Think You Like People Like Me," and "L-L-L-Leave Me Alone" reflect over a series of topics from going out and getting drunk to rejection to confusion and self-deprecation. While that all may sound a bit somber, all of Lahey's tracks are upbeat and fast-paced, with lyrics that, while covering one of the most confusing times of one's life, are humorous.
"Let's Go Out" describes that uncontrollable, college-kid urge to go out and have a good time. And with it's catchy chorus and constant beat, it could easily be the soundtrack to any night out. "You Don't Think You Like People Like Me," is the most uplifting track about being rejected that I've ever heard. "L-L-L-Leave Me Alone" is about telling your ex to just get out of your life already. My personal favorite is "Wes Anderson," which utilizes soft, washy guitar riffs to create a luminescent pop sound- a perfect match for its lyrical musings about young love.
Lahey's songs left me smiling. It was nice hearing a musician that understood all of the ups and downs that are part of being 20 years old and slumping it away at college.
B-Grade University is on Spotify or you check out more from Alex Lahey at http://alexlahey.com.au/
