ALEXANDER STEWART - BLEEDING HEART
ALEXANDER STEWART -
BLEEDING HEART
ALBUM REVIEW
★★★★☆ (4/5)
With a title like “Bleeding Heart” the debut album from Alexander Stewart makes no attempt to hide its propensity for heart-wrenching love songs. With several singles from the album having already garnered tens of millions of streams it is clear that Stewart has a sound that resonates with fans all around the world. The question for this release is if that sound can maintain cohesion and quality across its run-time.
The opener “Said So” immediately sets a tone of overwrought heartbreak which continues through the rest of the album. Sonically the track brings to mind fellow Canadian pop star Shaun Mendez, with sparse instrumentation in the verses leading into arena-sized choruses ready-made for a lights-in-the-air moment.
The album's production delivers a polished sound that places Stewart’s vocals at the forefront while also giving the varied instrumentals room to breathe among shifting strings, guitars, and backing vocals.
It’s on viral hit “Blame’s on Me”, that some of the best experiences on “Bleeding Heart” are displayed. During which, resonant lyrics and solid vocal delivery show why this song has over 116 million streams alone. This is followed by “All These Years” on which Stewart shows his vocal abilities as the dramatic strings give him an appropriate platform to proclaim his longing during the nostalgic lamentation.
Among the first half of the album, “How Dare You” provides some welcome variety in tempo precisely when needed. The muscular track sees the reserved sounds of previous tracks replaced with driving guitars and thundering drums.
“I Wish You Cheated” again returns to the heartbroken themes of the album, but while effectively delivering it in a new perspective. Already an established breakup anthem this track will no doubt continue to soundtrack breakups for decades. Further musical variety is delivered on “Strangers” as the track plays with a gospel sound, which compliments the falsetto of Stewart well.
An impressive Lewis Capaldi pastiche on “If You Only Knew” adds an appropriately soaring chorus to the album with some rasp adding a new texture to Stewart’s vocals. While closer “Proud of Me” is a suitably rousing jaunt that takes a self-reflective journey through the process of growing up and living up to your aspirations.
While time with “Bleeding Heart” is brief, as the album is only 34 minutes long, it is time well spent as the debut delivers a collection of modern love ballads that seem destined to become classics. On this album, Alex Stewart finds a strong identity with a collection of tracks that compare with the big names in the alternative pop space such as James Arthur and Dermot Kennedy. From here he seems poised to grow rapidly as an artist and no doubt deliver more solid gold hits.