Alex Bleeker & The Freaks are back with their third album, Country Agenda (that’s Bleeker of Real Estate fame, if you aren’t familiar with the outfit). While The Freaks are an ever-changing collection of musicians, Country Agenda finds them at their most cohesive, with Bleeker drawing upon his companions in his most collaborative songwriting to date. This time around The Freaks include Alex Steinberg, Nick Lenchner, Dylan Shumaker, Jacob Wolf, and guest vocals from Molly Sarle of Mountain Man, who together used the environment and one another to create an album they believe in. As Bleeker describes:
“We’re extremely proud of this record. For the first time, The Freaks came together as a collaborative unit, and crafted what we think is our best album yet. It was recorded on a hillside overlooking the ocean in coastal California, and we hope that some of that beauty comes through in the music.”
The first track to be unveiled was ‘The Rest’, a breezy jam which channels the aesthetic of the Californian coast, sounding like an endless drive through a 60s American evening, all the while possessed by a free spirit and powered by a gentle cosmic energy which smooths heartbreak into something tactile and gratifying.
“Sometimes it seems like trouble just won’t let me be
but now I know it just likes my company.
I’ll leave this town behind just to tell myself I’m free
I’ll leave the light on but it’s still to dark to seeBut you ran away
Nothing to say
sometimes it just works out that way.
I heard you found a man
started again
I don’t need more fans
I got enough of them.”
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/217105277″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Second single ‘Sealong Hair’ is a simpler affair, stripped down to acoustic strumming and basic percussion, but is still gilded with the golden Pacific light. The track even comes complete with a lovely video by Laura Lynn Petrick to enhance the imagery. Have a peep below:
You can pre-order Country Agenda now via Sinderlyn, including on some rather lovely vinyl. 
Cover photo by Laura Lynn Petrick