Alex G’s TRICK is not the first record of its kind. With it, G achieves what many artists have before him , but expands on many of these musical ideas in ways that sound as if only he could.

G’s most common feat is crafting songs that threaten to fall apart at any moment. “Forever” begins with a foreboding guitar melody that blooms into an entire section that one could only hope to get from Modest Mouse in their prime. He then eschews this comparison by including a beautiful trumpet solo that floats gently through the chaos, establishing its own logic in a song where it would otherwise feel out of place.

G’s songwriting ranges from silly to uncomfortable throughout. Songs like “Whale” sound like quick little sketches he included just to prove he doesn’t take himself too seriously.

While G’s ode to his dog “Animals” is a perfect example of how effective his featherlight lyrical touches can be in conveying his message. “Rosie is my favorite dog/ Takes her piss on the neighbor’s lawn/Rosie is my favorite dog/ bites my hand when I go wrong” fits, as it shows him oscillate between the mundane and the more meaningful interactions he shares with his beloved partner. This is before the song bursts into a rolling guitar lead that finds G singing the chorus “I do/ animals, not people/ I do”. The fact that G allows these silly and heartfelt feelings for his dog to coincide lead to the overall feeling of isolation he pushes forward when he sings about finding it easier to identify with animals rather than his fellow humans.

There’s a punk ethos in G’s work that runs deeper than the rough-around-the-edges guitar instrumentation and vocal delivery. Nothing here is allowed enough time to wear out its welcome. Each song finds G trotting out some fresh new collection of musical ideas before moving on to something completely different. This makes the rare times that a musical idea is explored fully feel sprawling and massive. Standout track “String” finds G cowing to his admiration for meandering psychedelic rock guitar solos, which make up about half of the track’s five minute length.

Aside from “String” none of these songs clock in past the three minute mark. G is content to get in, do his things and move on to the next.

This makes it less damning when G explores a less interesting musical idea. Near the back half of the album a couple of songs tend to float by inoffensively without really leaving a lasting impression. These songs work when listening to the album as a whole, but upon repeat listens to the album, most listeners will probably not find themselves returning to tracks like “Advice” and “People”.

G’s most affecting lyrics come from album climax “Mary”. The song succeeds as the most entertaining track based on its instrumentation alone. You’ll find yourself recalling perfectly the rambling guitar section that sounds as if it might trip on its own two feet after only one or two listens.

The songs lyrical content is what pushes it over the limit as G portrays a girl he has feelings for.

He kicks the song off describing Mary and his relationship with her. As he moves further, subtle hints start to seep into the song that tell us this may not be the most healthy relationship. As the song comes to its climax, G rips the veil away with a pair of lines that mirror the doting first seconds of the song: “Mary’s the girl that leads you to rot/ She says I am real and you are not”. It’s not until looking back at the entire portrait he paints that it becomes more obvious that this song could be about his relationship with Marijuana just as easily as the girl he describes.

The fact that he can name a song “Mary” and still pull this tired trick off in a satisfying way is speaks to G’s writing ability, and the sharpness of this album as a whole. I don’t care who he’s singing about, so long as he’s singing.