People will start to expect certain things from you, whether or not you are capable of meeting their expectations. While it is tempting to want to “be someone forever” and “leave a memory behind forever,” it also comes with the pressures of being a public figure. “Be Someone Forever” is another psychedelic rock banger about the desire to be someone important enough to leave behind a lasting memory, but also deals with the implications of being well known. “Why Can’t This Be Easy” and “The Reason This Is Happening” are driven by buzzing keyboards, crunchy bass riffs, searing guitars, and powerful drums that are nearly impossible not to move along to. One long-running inspiration to the band that isn’t as clear in their earlier music can be heard across multiple songs on Realign: Tame Impala. “I Don’t Mean To Complain” sounds like Red Vox doing their own spin on Depeche Mode, while the bright synths and jaunty drum machine on “Better On The Outside” are reminiscent of the soundtrack for the game “Stardew Valley.”

“Return The Call” is a dark synthpop bop that could fit on MGMT’s last album Little Dark Age, which Vinny cited as a direct influence. They’ve solidified their old sound, but Red Vox also explore new influences for the first time on Realign. While Red Vox always wore their influences on their sleeves - like the Talking Heads-inspired funky bounce of “Job in the City” and the heavy, Zeppelin-style riffs on “Settle for Less” - these songs show just how much they’ve refined those influences into a sound that can be uniquely theirs. Vinny smoothly sings the infectious melody over the rollicking groove, “Well I could try my best to help but I don’t know you / And there’s only so much difference it could make / I could try my best to save you but I’m weighed down / If I push it any further I could sink.” But its message is not a bleak one, as each chorus ends with a line of optimism: “You know it’s not too late now / For another start” and “There always was a way out / You knew it all along.” Even if he can’t help, he still believes that the other people have the power within them to save themselves.

One standout track, “Apathetic Empathy,” is a lively, catchy song about a very helpless feeling: wanting to help someone through a tough time but knowing that you can’t handle taking on their problems. It is easy to feel tied to the past and stuck in a rut, wondering “How far will this one go? / How long will this go on and on and on?” But sometimes, the band says, the only thing left to do is move forward for the betterment of yourself and others around you. Lyrics like “on my own, on my time / All I’m leaving is the past behind / For my soul, for my mind / All I need is what I’m meant to find” express the desire to move forward from this chapter of life to a better future. Realign kicks off with its title track, an upbeat, acoustic rock frolic that sets the theme of the album. These additions create an album that is emotionally captivating from start to finish. Rounding out the lineup, multi-instrumentalists Joe and Bill offer spacious production and fiery synthesizers that add depth to each track. Mike’s drumming is as energetic and punchy as ever and drives the songs forward. Vinny – more widely known as Vinesauce - delivers incredibly confident and varied vocals, and his lyrics are even more clever and thoughtful. Every song is complex and layered, but also immediately captivating. Red Vox explores new electronic sounds on this record but also creates a sound that is distinctly its own, showcasing the growth the members have experienced in their five years as a band. In short, Realign didn’t just live up to its high expectations - it blew them out of the water. But the question remained: Would Realign be everything we hoped it would? Finally, it was released on the evening of June 9 with a celebratory premiere of the album on the band’s Twitch page. But much like everything else in the world, the album was delayed at the last minute due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With new singles that suggested a more electronic sound, expectations were high for the spring release of the band’s third album, Realign.

Tons of anticipation can help keep fans excited during a long break between an artist’s releases, but it can also set their expectations for the next album at an unreachable level.įans have been waiting since 2017’s Another Light for more music from Red Vox, the musical project of Twitch streamers Vinesauce and Jabroni Mike.

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