Guitarist Magazine - November 2010 - Mick Taylor
Penny Black Music Review - November 2010 - Lisa Torem
Alex Lipinski: Lonesome Train
Reviewed By: Lisa Torem
Label: Blue Chameleon
Format: CD
It's so hard playing tricks upon my soul," sings Alex Lipinski. It's just one of the touching lyrics on 'Lonesome Train,' the brilliant title song of his CD. Lipinski has a masterpiece of an album, here.
Immediately intoxicating is the opening track, 'I Think You Know.' "I asked her to love me/But she just faced the other way," he sings remorsefully. Served up with compelling harmonies, swerving blues notes and the perfect blend of horn, this talented artist hits the spot, with this debut, every time.
An unexpected trumpet solo charms its way into the ballad's outro. Singing, "I'm really really going to try to turn you on" and then, topping it off with a glorified and mournful howl, this artist really gives his all.
The broken-hearted, 'In Two' is lovingly strummed, poignantly sung and conveyed with a forceful warmth. "For the first time I've seen through your mirrored eyes," Lipinski admits. "You'll lay down your soul to read and I will pick it up and you will tear it all in two," he bitterly concludes. This one is remarkably reminiscent of stellar Brit pop.
The tearfully romantic, 'In My Arms' consists of Lipinski's graceful phrasing and dips into minor progressions. "I've seen love left behind/ Let's make a brand new start," he begs.
From the first breathy exhale of a blues harp,'Goodbye Lullaby' is haunting. "My heart's drowned in your potions/Swimming through the deepest seas," he sings, with sheer honesty.
"Sometimes it's hard to be a man who'll pick you up each time you start to fall," is another frank admission. But, finally, in anguish, he summarizes, "I'm sick of all these sunset stories?Water lapping at your feet." The delicate musings of Bob Dixon's pedal steel complement the yearnings.
'When Will I Be Home' is another earnest and simmering ballad. 'Nothing New' bristles with concern. "I know something's not right/I think there's a problem," is clearly stated and the story unveils itself against mournful strums.
'Grey Skies' moves off in another direction. 'Hey, lady, where you been?/Out with the fishes, learn how to swim/Iron curtains all around, military's still in town.' The song builds intensely and emotionally, verse by verse.
'Lonesome Train' is wildly fulfilling as a cauldron of country/blues and as an emotional epithet. 'Into the Heart' is cleverly simple and benefits from soulful harp.
The closing number, 'Wish You Were Here' entails all that is wonderful about this project.
The lyricism shines when Lipinksi sings, "Out in the darkness/Strewn amongst the fields with you." He wraps his voice around choice chords, his tones shimmied to the echoes of the guitar; only a Swiss Army Knife could pry this pairing apart.
Lipinksi channels the best tones of John Lennon and Roy Orbison and makes them his own. His writing is crisp, confessional and superb. "Lips that taste of roses/Spring when she rises/Remember to bloom," this singer-songwriter sculpts; he is the sole writer of the tracks. A fantastic instrumental outro, including Kerry Skidmore's cello, Paul Shippey's mandolin and Tim Sweet's bass and Tim Price's percussion top it off. 'Lonesome Train' is tremendously moving and proves that Alex Lipinski is beyond gifted.
R2 Rock 'n' Reel Magazine - September/October 2010 - Norman Darwen
12 Bar Club-London - Monday 18th February 2008
In between the hustle and bustle of a busy London evening stands the 12 Bar club on Demark Street, well known to music people of course as the street that shaped the coffee shops and happening music and record shops of the 1940s,50s and 1960s.Tin pan alley sounds, the Stones recorded there first album at Regent sounds studios.
Tonight the dimly lit club plays host to the ever increasing talents of 20-year-old singer songwriter Alex Lipinski. Now living in London and steadily building a reputation as a hard working singer songwriter plying his trade armed with guitar, harmonica and a hand full of well presented tunes.
He takes to the stage set on a small platform raised above the seated audience in a velvet jacket, New York City t shirt almost with an air of grace and quickly starts with 'Goodbye Lullaby' and an almost immediate likeness to Ryan Adams and countrified sounds from days gone by spring to mind. He pours out "my heart drowned in your potion" and he takes the listener to a sort of Buckley era Grace. The up tempo 'In Two' follows and then is led into the slower 'In my arms' with its feeling of lost and playfulness as the refrain of "Stumble to my feet" catches you adrift.
The thing about this singer songwriter is that you never know what direction he's going, one minute it's the countrified busker who sits at the bar as the sun comes up, the next its 63 era Beatles as with 'I think you Know', foot stomping rhythms abound with a harmonica that carries the song and its singer even further.
Perhaps my favourite of the night was the beautifully heartfelt 'All of the Teasers' like a romance gone wrong, a search for something that's not quite ever going to be the same.
The set ends with 'When will I be home'…who knows but it could be a long time if this young singer songwriter continues to develop and mature as each stage progresses.
Home may just have to wait.
Chris Kerridge - Reverb
Bristol Evening Post Review - The Fleece, Bristol - Tuesday 4th September 2007
The last time Alex Lipinski played The Fleece it was a solo acoustic set, but this time he had brought a band along and they did a sterling job of equalling Alex's powerful voice.
'I Think You Know' had a 1950's beat and harmonies that recalled the Beach Boys and even The Everly Brothers, whom Alex acknowledged as influences. 'Take Your Time', meanwhile, had a laidback groove that perfectly suited the lyrics.
With his mature, diverse songs and confident stage presence it's a surprise to learn that Alex is only 19 years old.
HELEN SLOAN