Never Heavy is One Full of Light is an album birthed by Steve Alex, a project that illuminated and highlighted his range in versatility and creativity. Much more known as a member of the band Four Star Riot, Alex’s decision to branch out under the moniker Never Heavy allowed him to break free from the genre that Four Star Riot succumbs to. This project allowed him to display his various skills and styles that might not fit the band’s branding, and it also poses him as an artist who is capable of exploring and blending different styles into his work.
Never Heavy’s journey began with its self-titled debut back in 2022, where Alex first showcased his skill in songwriting while swooning us with his usual alt-rock flair but with more laid-back and chill instrumentals. This album highlighted his character and individuality as an artist that resonates on an emotional level. His stuff in this solo project retained the charm that fans of Four Star Riot appreciate but offered a much wider, broader palette in terms of musicality.
With Never Heavy is One Full of Light as his sophomore album, Alex’s exploration in terms of genre and creativity heightened which is highly evident in the album’s outcome. This album heavily denied being boxed into a singular genre, hence its mix of multiples. It offered a rich tapestry of sound and influences, getting inspiration from Elliot Smith, Mac DeMarco, Fruit Bats, Smashing Pumpkins, and STP. This pushed Alex’s boundaries and for sure posed a challenge both to him and his listeners.
Varying styles and genres were used in this album including a delicate ballad that will surely touch you and your heartstrings, a folk approach, and some of its songs even channeled the dominating genre nowadays which is shoegaze. Having a wide range of genres only means that this album is made to cater to everyone’s music tastes. This also shows Alex’s knowledge in doing his thing, which in this case is music.
In the album’s 28-minute runtime, Never Heavy is One Full of Light is packed with nine heart-melting tracks, each of these telling a story about diverse themes from our daily lives which will make its listeners relate to it more. Alex’s prowess in songwriting shines through each track and shows how introspective and relatable these lines of words are. Whether he’s reflecting on love, loss, or the complexities of humans’ mundane lives, Alex has a way to connect us to the world he made through this album with his words. He chose the ender for this album for it to be an instrumental. A fitting end to this album wherein we’ll only grasp the stories he told and the atmosphere it made us feel through the whole listening experience. This final piece allows the listeners to reflect both on the experience this album gave and the realizations they had about real-life, real-world happenings. A closure that everyone deserves from an album this moving.
What makes this album truly remarkable is its refusal to classify. As evident as it is in the genre this album holds, Never Heavy is One Full of Light also chose to not be specific with the themes that the songs from this album carry. Instead, it offered a collection of songs that tell their own story, creating a mosaic of experiences and emotions. This approach resulted in the album’s authenticity and spontaneity, making each track as though it were recollected from Alex’s different experiences both in the past and in the present. It feels canon and genuine, which for sure will make the listeners feel heard and validated for it reflects different facets of life.
Never Heavy’s creation of this album made something special. Apart from channeling his identity as a solo artist, it also is an album that inspires others to get out of their comfort zones, to jump out of the box that limits them from doing boundless art which might result in many opportunities. The times that we live through right now are encouraging and nurturing, if compared to how the industry was back then. This is the perfect time to be genuine and truthful with our art, to discover more, and to learn more. Might this album give you the push and clarity that you need, inspiring you to breed art and spread positivity and truth, may it be in your bubble, or the world, if you’re brave enough.
Make sure to listen to Never Heavy’s Never Heavy is One Full of Light album, dropping on August 30th! If you want to discover more of Never Heavy’s music, please make sure to follow their social media pages and music streaming accounts as well.
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About the Author
Angel Mariah Rodiel – Mari to the people she’s fond of – is a BA Literature student currently studying in Central Luzon State University. Writing, arts, and music are some of the things she’s been most passionate about ever since she was a kid. Mari’s little dream is to build a band that will open for Paramore’s concert someday. Pop-punk and alternative rock are her comfort music genres, K-pop and J-rock comes close as third and fourth.
