Album Review Alex Lahey - The Answer Is Always Yes

Through vivid storytelling and a series of brutally honest vignettes which paint her experiences growing up in a world not made for her, Alex Lahey’s third record, ‘The Answer Is Always Yes’, delivers a youthful energy and buoyant wit not unlike the soundtrack of a coming-of-age film. Her signature flair for crafting dynamic, earworm melodies is demonstrated in force, yet there’s a sonic diversity that sets the album apart from its predecessors. Opener ‘Good Time’ is bright and humorous with a guitar-driven country pop melody, while ‘Congratulations’ is a grungier tongue-in-cheek number thanks to its Nirvana-esque guitars. And despite its slower, more melancholy feel, ‘The Sky is Melting’ tells a chaotic story of consuming too many weed gummies, while ‘Permanent’ is an acoustic song with a booming crescendo that sees Alex reflecting on the gentrification of her native Melbourne and the regression she felt moving back into her childhood home during the pandemic. ‘They Wouldn’t Let Me In’ is a particular stand out, mining the depths of her queer teenage years through menacing beat-led instrumentals and quick-witted spoken word vocals, and the closing title track proves powerful, anthemic and cathartic – ending the album on an optimistic and feel-good note. All in all, ‘The Answer Is Always Yes’ is a sardonic yet uplifting album that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Alex Lahey’s songwriting has a real sincerity throughout, displaying her talent for diaristic storytelling as well as her use of humour. The result is a fun collection of melodically versatile songs which celebrate the power that can be found in dwelling on the fringes.