David Alpha is a name with a story behind it. Achieving commercial airplay and critical acclaim for his work in The Fons and Dharma Bum, Alpha’s creative renaissance in 2012 led him to release the edgy Sacrilege 2.0 album in 2014, of which the two songs on the new Rockin Roulette EP originate from. This is to set the stage for the Rockin Roulette album, one that will have a track list of hand-picked songs from throughout Alpha’s prestigious career. If this EP is anything to judge the album by, it will most definitely be one rooted in punk rock.
Rockin Roulette’s theme is to create a “genre-transcendent†compilation of his work. The first song to introduce this concept is none other than the radio edit of Sacrilege, a co-write with East Bay Ray of Dead Kennedy’s fame. The song absolutely oozes instrumentals and a beat that harkens back to this punk rock era, as the song will no doubt want to make you skank dance. A song about heartbreak and break-up, with lyrics such as “if you don’t want me I’ll sleep in the car. If I get hungry I’ll eat at the bar†shows you exactly how he feels about the woman. Along with lines such as “Some people just wanna watch grass grow, some people wanna die. Some people just wanna let it fly†speaks volumes to his attitude and punk rock spirit.
Jeans is the second single on the EP, with a distinctly different sound to Sacrilege. Jeans is to Sacrilege what 90’s AFI sounds like next to Tiger Army and whether or not you think that is a good thing, it makes for a great transition for the feel of Rockin’ Roulette. The familiar feel Punk Rock sound still permeates the track, but the more rhythmic composition forms a stark contrast to the rough and rash sounds of Sacrilege. The free-wheeling spirit pushes through in lyrics such as “got love at breakneck speed, and you wear those jeans like a second skin†show the no-holds-barred ride that David Alpha has been on.
Rockin Roulette promises to be a celebration of David Alpha’s career, so it is unfortunate that this EP only showcases two tracks from the same album. Even though the tracks chosen show off David Alpha’s most recent experience, it may have been refreshing to couple a track like Sacrilege with an older track. Perhaps a track from David Alpha’s past projects like The Fons. Whatever the case the Rockin Roulette EP does justice to the overall feel of what the album is supposed to be, a sampler of music with distinct sounds from across the career of David Alpha.
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