Once upon a time, things were easier for Alexz Johnson.
She was signed to Epic Records, her debut album was well on the way to being finished, and her name was working its way around households in Canada, the U.S., and Europe, as she starred in the CTV teen drama Instant Star (she played rock star Jude Harrison, winner of a TV talent search who is then catapulted into fame and fortune, giving Alexz a fantastic way to show off her musical talents).
And then the economic crash happened and Alexz’s album was shelved. She was left out on her own. Years of hard work has since followed and now, several campaigns later on both Kickstarter and Pledgemusic, she’s successfully released three EPs, three back-catalogue albums, and toured the U.S. and Europe.
Let ‘Em Eat Cake (2014) is Alexz’s second studio album, following on from her two recent EP releases: Skipping Stone (2012); and Heart (2014).
Her vocals shine on every track, her crisp and sweet voice ringing over the simply produced music – it’s all skilfully put together, the work of a master musician who has been crafting her sound ever since she was a child, yet the instrumentation is simple. There’s nothing overly fancy, just a good old band with an incredibly talented artist directing them. Her lyrics are nothing short of poetry, evolving more and more with every record and every life experience she has.
Let ‘Em Eat Cake takes us on an emotional journey that gets stronger and stronger with every track and it’s a shame there’s only nine of them. If there’s only one new album you’re going to give a chance this month, let it be this one and help pave the way for independent artists like Alexz.
