Pixie Queen, is Anthony Green's (Saosin, Circa Survive) latest solo album that is set to drop on September 9th. This album was written back in 2014 while Green was working on Circa Survive's release, Descensus and is a follow-up to his 2013 solo album Young Legs. This has been a highly anticipated release, and the wait for another solo album was well worth it.
It's no surprise to fans that this album is one of particular emotion, as Green is renowned for his emotionally gripping performances. Pixie Queen is an album devoted to love, but not in the way you'd expect. Songs face the hardships of love just as much as they touch on the joys and Green expresses the roller coaster that love can be in a new light with each song. Green delivers raw and sincere lyrics and the typical hypnotic charm that you expect from his vocals. Pixie Queen incorporates more instrumentals, as Green's vision for the album was for it to sound more like a full band. These instruments array from percussion/chimes, to various string instruments that compliment the gentle tones of the vocals. Some highlights include "East Coast Winters" which is the last song that Anthony wrote on heroin. The song carries a beautiful somber tune and is far more stripped down than the other songs on the album. There's a great deal of honesty and angst within the lyrics that makes for a powerful moment. "Cellar" is an acoustic song that was originally written by Green's friend, Jeremy SH Griffith, but was far too good a fit on Pixie Queen to not include it in the album. The song touches on the true compromises and wears of love and marriage. Although it is a much slower song than the others, it carries it's weight with raw emotion. The album closer, and title track "Pixie Queen" is a sweet and delicate number, paying homage to his wife and how he never imagined she'd still be his pixie queen after all of the trials and tribulations they've faced.
Overall, Green delivers a beautifully crafted album tackling the nitty-gritty of being in love. The album is tumultuous, seeing every side of emotion that love brings, but cohesive in musicality. Pixie Queen is charming, bold, unique, and well-crafted.
Check out a live performance of "Cellar" below! Be sure to check out the album when it drops on September 9th, 2016.