10 Songs. MR139. Release Date: January 24, 2025

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From the Arkansas Times...

The Easys, one of the many musical projects helmed by Central Arkansas singer-songwriter Isaac Alexander, is back with “Feeling 101,” their third album and their first full-length release since 2007’s “Blood Capsule.”

How exactly does The Easys stand out from the rest of Alexander’s material? In his own words, the band is his outlet for “catchy songs” and “pop-centric” material in the vein of Squeeze, Big Star and Elvis Costello. The group is also unique because Alexander shares songwriting duties with keyboard player and backup vocalist Rob Bell, who works alongside Alexander at Little Rock advertising agency Eric Rob & Isaac. (The two have known each other since the fourth grade.)

“It started out with my friend Rob. It was kind of our thing,” Alexander said. “Before we met Charles [Wyrick], our guitar player, the stuff sounded really clean — a little too clean. And then when we added Charles, he brought some of the edge that we needed to make the songs a little scarier than the way they sounded before.” 

The rest of the band consists of drummer Rafael Gayol (drummer John Crowley also played on some of “Feeling 101” as well as previous recordings) and bassist Jason Weinheimer (whose son, Jules, is the frontman for opener Juleser, who you may have heard perform at HarvestFest in October). 

“Feeling 101” has 10 tracks, four of which are new and six of which were recorded back in the days of “Blood Capsule” with only some minor contemporary tune-ups. Alexander’s favorite songs are “Our Last Hour” and “Stranger You Meet,” which kicks off with an electrifying organ part that reminds me of Fountains of Wayne. The tune I dig the most is “Haunt Me Again.” “I need you like a trigger needs a finger, like a stab needs a knife,” Alexander sings, conjuring the kind of desire that’s impossible to deny, but you’re pretty sure is bad for you.