We review the new EP by Alexander Ludwig – his self-titled debut EP, available on the 21st May through BMG/BBR Music Group.
Alexander Ludwig has today released his self-titled debut EP, setting his agenda as a country artist. Raised outside of Vancouver, Ludwig grew up on a diet of country music, before finding success in Hollywood – with leading roles in Vikings, Lone Survivor, The Hunger Games, and Bad Boys For Life. Now, he is back grafting earning his place on the Nashville scene and the result is his debut EP that showcases his roots and hard work. The project has been produced by Kurt Allison and Tully Kennedy and they have done a stellar job creating a project that nods to 90s country, yet is rooted in the modern commercial sound.
The project has been thoughtfully created and crafted – the writers on the project showcasing the music that Ludwig grew up loving, from David Lee Murphy to Jonathan Singleton (Billy Currington, Gary Allan), from the bombastic opener ‘Love Today’ that will be a crowd pleaser in Ludwig’s live shows. Without a doubt, one of the best tracks on the project is middle track ‘How it Rolls’ that is tastefully rooted in 90s country, a charming and lilting melody that sucks the listener in as does the sweetly sentimental love song ‘Malibu Blue.’ ‘Summer Crazy’ – the track on the project penned by Ludwig – rounds out the project and offers an edgier, more rock-tinged production that seems to be his sweet spot, a nostalgic-tinged ode to summer.
The project sets the scene for Ludwig’s music, sonically going the same direction as Billy Currington or Blake Shelton, yet there is a sense left from the project that we don’t quite ‘know’ Ludwig yet as an artist. However, we do get a glimpse of the way he’s going on the project and with the right song selection and a legion of fans already behind him, Ludwig will certainly be a success – long may his partnership with Allison and Kennedy continue, for they have fuelled some 90s magic into the project that is immensely charming.
Tracklist:
“Love Today”— (Greylan James, David Lee Murphy, Matt Roy)
“Sunset Town” — (Marv Green, David Lee Murphy, Justin Wilson)
“How It Rolls” — (Eric Arjes, Brad Tursi)
“Malibu Blue” — (Jonathan Singleton, Brad Tursi, Andrew Rollins)
“Summer Crazy”— (Alexander Ludwig, Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, Justin Wilson)
(Produced by Kurt Allison and Tully Kennedy)
