Steven Lemon – …a strange pale blue
Steven Lemon’s debut album, “…a strange pale blue,” offers a peculiar sonic experience that feels like stepping into an alternate universe where pop conventions are playfully dismantled. The New Jersey singer-songwriter has crafted an eccentric collection that channels the satirical spirit of Weird Al Yankovic while embracing the experimental oddity of Frank Zappa, all filtered through a minimalist indie lens.
The album’s reliance on a slight Auto-Tune is immediately striking. Rather than using this effect as a crutch, Lemon wields it as an intentional artistic tool, creating an artificial sheen that paradoxically highlights the humanity underneath his strange compositions. His lyrical landscapes are delightfully unpredictable, bouncing from mundane topics like hot dogs to the colourful imagery of rainbow sorbets, while elsewhere taking unexpected detours into ant extermination and vegetable meditations.
The sparse instrumentation throughout the album creates an intimate yet unsettling atmosphere. Unlike Yankovic’s full-band parodies, Lemon strips things back to bare essentials, allowing the bizarre lyrical content to take centre stage. “Parvin State Park” and “Candyland” exemplify this approach, building quirky narratives around minimal musical frameworks.
“Scooter Skeleton” emerges as a surprising standout, with a catchy melody and playful energy that feels tailor-made for animated adventures—one could easily imagine it serving as a theme song for a modern reboot of the Scooby Doo series. Meanwhile, “This Old Man” reveals an unexpected sophistication, echoing the polished retro-soul stylings of Young Gun Silver Fox with its smooth production and nostalgic sensibilities.
“Lifeline” is another album highlight, balancing the experimental with fleeting moments of genuine emotional connection. Similarly, “That Sinking Feeling” demonstrates Lemon’s ability to craft memorable hooks even within his unconventional approach.
What makes “…a strange pale blue” fascinating is Lemon’s commitment to his artistic vision. There’s nothing commercially calculated about this debut – it’s defiantly weird and unapologetically authentic. The South Jersey music scene veteran has spent years developing this distinctive sonic identity that draws from unlikely influences while remaining uniquely his own.
For those open to musical exploration, “…a strange pale blue” offers a refreshingly bizarre journey through the mind of an artist unbound by convention. Lemon has created something genuinely distinctive in an era of algorithmic similarity – a pale blue oddity indeed, but one that reveals new layers with each listening. (8/10) (Kipper Records)
