GREAZY ALICE - As Time Goes By

Preceded by two EPs, "Circles" and "Just Another One", largely revisited for this debut, the first album by Greazy Alice is one of the surprises of the year that's just begun.

Born in Pennsylvania and later relocated to New Orleans after living with his parents in Philadelphia, Alex Pianovich cultivated a passion for country music from an early age before finding the right formula for this stunning debut (in the meantime he studied biology and spent years working as a herpetologist), a record put together with contributions from Will Repholz (bass), Lee Garcia (drums) and singer Jo Morris (Alex's partner).

"As Time Goes By" is an album rooted in the music of Gram Parsons, Kris Kristofferson and Terry Allen (the band's name is inspired by a prostitute at the center of one of Allen's songs, included on the album "Juarez"), a project that reawakens all the evocative power of those songs — as simple as they are poetic, even comical — that made the history of American country-folk music.

The record was largely recorded on a portable reel-to-reel Tascam, a choice that brings out the warm, enveloping sound of the ten tracks and often recalls the masterpiece by the Cowboy Junkies, "The Trinity Session". Greazy Alice's is a journey through memories and places of the soul, a story that glides over country sounds delicately sketched by piano, guitar, bass and drums kept in the background ("Circles"), or by velvety country-blues ballads barely touched by jazz ("Green"), but also by urban-country surges that could have come off a Lou Reed record, like the gorgeous "Just Another One" (a song inspired by the film "Casablanca") which ends up being the "Sweet Jane" in the ever-present comparison with the Timmins siblings' second album, a poignant reflection on the destabilizing power of love.

"As Time Goes By" is a record that flows with impressive naturalness. The songs fit together like small classics. Alex Pianovich recalls his journey toward New Orleans, comparing its various stages to the seasons of life, while little bells and dissonant piano chords flow smoothly and slowly over aching melodies that leave the voice breathless ("Turn"), heightening that troubadour spirit that finds further room in artlessly charming folk songs graced by female backing vocals and the sound of harmonica ("Departures").

With the same spirit, the band stirs things up with a honky tonk and rockabilly interlude ("West"), intones country ballads made for singing around the campfire ("Stop Asking Why"), sketches an elegant waltz step on "Firefly", and then closes the album with a moving country-gospel number held together by a solitary piano and the voices of Alex and Jo, a stunning final page of an album you won't forget easily.

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19/02/2026