In his new album, The Last American, Ali Aslam weaves together the many facets of his identity to create a beautiful thematic and sonic landscape. The Brooklyn based singer songwriter takes the time to examine his relationship to his Pakistani and Muslim identity in the context of his American upbringing.
Ali tells his story across each of the tracks, singing of internal conflict between the many worlds he inhabits. In “This American Dream,” his lyrics tear at the listener… “Never believe that this American dream was ever meant to be…” Each line gives the listener a better window into his complex life experiences.
Aslam defines his album as a supersonic folk record, creating his own genre in the process. “Wise Man and the Fool” instantly stands out as one of the best tracks on the album, and it perfectly encapsulates his unique sound. Ali’s voice gently wavers over a minimalist drum beat and slight strum of an acoustic guitar. The track cleanly picks up from its soft beginnings, pulling in a deeper electric guitar, orchestral strings, and a melodic addition of backing vocals to complement Ali’s rough timbre.
Though Ali grapples with his many identities in The Last American, ultimately, the talented folk rocker reminds the listener that even though he “can love all of these many things about [him]self,” the tense landscape of America makes it such that he can “still feel, or be made to feel, like [he] doesn’t have a right to.” The Last American is is both a search for solidarity as it is meaning making of his experience -- and a beautiful exploration of sound all along the way.
Click here to listen to "The Last American"
