The Singles Bar: alxxa leaves heartbreak in the ‘rearview’
alxxa’s ’bout to pop off.
Welcome to The Singles Bar, a review series focused on new single and song releases.
alxxa has no reservations in cutting her losses. That’s her safe-guarded proclamation with her new song “rearview,” at least. It’s a fool-proof anthem in the wake of a broken heart, the shards fractured and bleeding in her hands. “Baby, it’s something that the stars spelled out on the news / I have seen the put up in something in the water / Bought a blue 2003 used time machine / Try to start things over,” she sings, her tongue electrified to steal back her independence. She then navigates the rocky landscape for escape from her treacherous lover, weaving in and out among the hills of Tennessee and then “up the coast to Venice Beach because the ocean’s calling me,” she sculpts. The imagery hangs on each breath, which slices in mid-air between cracks in the fast-rising production.
“…or I could row to New Your City / Light up my eyes with electricity / I wanna go, start up the keys / Drive where I can leave you somewhere in the rearview,” she concludes on the chorus, which vanishes in the song’s final moments as abruptly as it initially exploded. In a hopeful sort of way, she mourns time lost on the second verse. “I took the long road to find out you were already gone / I wish I knew that you checked out / Early on, I would’ve started cutting all my losses / Gathering my heart stings / Doing my own thing.” She’s a unruly firecracker, not here for bullshit or for poor excuses. She needed to experience such savage loss to find her restart.
alxxa is on an impressive streak lately. “rearview” follows the gloriously flammable set of songs with her Body EP, including such standouts as “swerve” and “burn to dust.” There’s no doubt she’ll be around awhile. Strap in and get ready for one helluva ride.
Grade: 4 out of 5
