It’s Not The Same Anymore, And It’s Fine
Rex Orange County, government name Alex O’Connor, is easily music’s most charming character right now. He doesn’t look or sound like the average indie pop star, but his creativity and style is unmatched. Rex just dropped his third album, “Pony”, on October 25, but is it worth the listen? Here’s what we think.
His overnight success came out of nowhere after being included on Tyler the Creator’s album “Flower Boy” after the rapper heard Rex’s music on SoundCloud.
Rex would go on to collaborate with Tyler on, Forward & Boredom, and gain exposure he needed. Wanting to offer his new fanbase something new to listen to, he released his feel-good, breakout single, Loving Is Easy.
Now, roughly two years later, ROC is back with his third studio album.
Pony kicks off with the upbeat tune 10/10 in which Rex sings about how much and how fast things have changed for him. It’s a theme that sticks around to the very last track.
Throughout ten tracks, Rex sings about the good, the bad and the depressing aspects of dealing with loneliness and his rising fame.
He often brings up his love for his girlfriend in almost every track. He views her as the anchor that holds him down while everything around him moves at overwhelming speeds.
Pony is one of those brilliant albums you can turn to in order to put yourself in a great mood. It’s definitely a front-to-back listen you’ll leave on repeat.
His style has clear influences from artists such as Frank Ocean and Bon Iver, with both of their unique instrumentals. In fact, Rex toured with Ocean a couple years ago.
Despite the struggles, ROC keeps most of his tracks upbeat and happy. He hasn’t lost the charm he showcased in his past hits, such as Sunflower.
Pony is definitely an experience you’ll have to hear for yourself, but my favorite part of the whole album is the narrative.
Rex seems to be overwhelmed by his ever-changing life and is struggling to cope, mentioning over and over again how things have changed. The last words sung on the album, and on a track appropriately titled, It’s Not The Same Anymore, hit the hardest.
They come at a point where it’s clear O’Connor is going through a rough time in his life. But he leaves us on an absolutely positive note,
“I’ve learned so much from before,
Now I’m not short on advice,
There’s no excuses at all,
No point in feeling upset,
Won’t take my place on the floor,
I’ll stand up straight like I’m tall,
It’s up to me, no one else,
I’m doing this for myself,
It’s not the same anymore,
… it’s better. It got better.”
Review: 10/10 (No pun intended)
