Review: Alexx Calise – In Avanti

Move over . . .well scratch that because I’m not really sure who I can compare Alexx Calise to. But don’t worry, that’s a very good thing. There’s nothing worse than a singer or a band trying to mimic what’s already been done. If you must have some sort of comparison, I would place Alexx somewhere in between Katy Perry and Halestorm. She’s far from being as poppy as Perry but not quite heavy enough to compete with a band like Halestorm. This in between state makes In Avanti an album that will satisfy the underground rockers and the glamorous mainstreamers. A well played maneuver indeed.

“Anything Goes” is a medley of rock, pop, and electronic, making it a hard track to resist and great way to kick off this album. A clap along bridge followed by a guitar solo makes for an unexpected, but sweet surprise to segue into a dance chorus outro —where Alexx advices us that “Nothing is sacred.” The second track “Break Me” is Alexx’s first single and it’s easy to see why. Catchy chorus plus fun rock riffs plus a “I’m better without you attitude” equals a recipe for success. There’s nothing sexier or more empowering than a woman who can tell her ex-boyfriend to back the hell off. Every woman will want to sing along to this dominating track.

I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an album that didn’t have at least one “emo” track, a.k.a the “ballad.” You know what I’m talking about. That one song everyone is ashamed to admit is their favorite because they can connect with on a deeper level, or because they have to whip out a box of Kleenex and deal with repressed emotions. “Cry” is seething with pain, regret, remorse, and sorrow. It’s the official breakup song and Alexx isn’t afraid to say what we all think after a disastrous separation. A string arrangement so delicately placed has the unique ability of making one weep with its minor scale notes. But fret not fellow rock lovers, the album only picks up from there, striking with a hard force. Songs like “Good Enough” and “My Song Version 2.0” combine dance and hard rock, a deadly combination that will have you playing these songs on constant repeat.

This is an album where emotions run free, striking that fragile chord within us. In Avanti takes us through one hell of a breakup, but in the end we emerge a better person because we’ve realized we don’t need the bastard anyway. An emotional album yes, but I still manage to feel euphoric afterwards. Kudos to Alexx for managing to turn troubled sentiments into something I can dance to.