Super Tuesday is the musical project of American musician Alex Kisch. He’s just come to my attention through the release of his third album which combines indie rock, Americana and acoustic introspection. It’s called Future Tense.
By Graeme Smith
In the ’90s, Alex was a member of the Boston-based alternative rockers Dirt Merchants but took some time away from music when that era came to an end for him. Like many, the pandemic saw him returning to creative pursuits, and he began writing and recording prolifically in his New Jersey home studio. His album Danger City dropped in 2021, and was followed up by Just Right the next year.
With an eclectic sound, Super Tuesday’s music has been compared to REM, Wilco and Lou Reed among others and, indeed, it’s difficult to put your finger on one exact act that it reminds me of. With Alex’s background, it’s unsurprising that the ’90s rock elements are there, but it goes broader than that over Future Tense’s thirteen tracks.
What’s for certain is that Future Tense is an album set in the modern day, and it ruminates on the issues that we currently face – technological change, social isolation, and the timeless topic of dying. That may sound intense but Alex approaches it all with a philosophical honesty, and the album’s bright and lively arrangements temper its darker themes. Opener I Know Their Names is a case in point, delivering hard-hitting lyrics against a backdrop of vibrant indie rock.
From there we get a grab bag of jangly folk rock (These Passing Days, The Future Of Your Past, Hollywood Boulevard), stripped back acoustic (Slow It Down, Cliffridge, Inside, In My Head), and simmering Americana (Let Em’ Down Easy, Showdown, Quicksand). Though the genre range is expansive, things hold nicely together, ever guided by Alex’s alternative sensibilities and expressive vocals. By the time visceral yet life-affirming closing track Stephen Pollock Day Parade comes around, you’ve been on a journey, and will see the world with fresh eyes.
Future Tense is set for release 8 March 2024.
