Biography

Touching on influences like Harry Nilsson, Van Dyke Parks, and King Crimson, the intimate chamber pop of singer/songwriter Alex Izenberg is colored by vintage Baroque and psychedelic pop as well as a flair for the romantic. He emerged with his full-length debut, Harlequin, in 2016. He drew inspiration from Alan Watts' writings on situational personas for his third album, 2022's I'm Not Here. Izenberg’s new record forged pathways toward universal awareness while retaining a sense of playfulness. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Izenberg often turned to music to help manage fears and anxieties, and in 2012, he received an official diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. He spent the next several years trying to take control of and channel those feelings, eventually recording his debut album with friends and co-producers Dash Lefrancis (Vas Defrans) and Ari Balouzian (Midnight Sister). Weird World/Domino released the songwriter's second long-player, Caravan Château, in 2020. Recorded mostly in Los Angeles with Greg Hartunian and Derek Korat, Caravan Château also included tracks produced by Balouzian, Lefrancis, and Foxygen's Jonathan Rado. He teamed up with Hartunian again for 2022's I'm Not Here, which featured string and woodwind arrangements by Dirty Projectors' Dave Longstreth. With cover art featuring a mask, it was partly inspired by the writings of philosopher/counterculturist Alan Watts on the subject of personas. ~ Marcy Donelson, Rovi