Alexander Biggs takes a Trojan Horse approach to his songwriting. His calming voice and the gentleness of the melody and instruments construct an inviting vehicle, and it is only after investigating the contents that the troubling core is revealed. That songwriting approach applies equally to "Madeleine” and Biggs’ preceding single "Miserable,” which reflects upon the impact that a person’s sadness can have on others, particularly loved ones.
"Madeleine” begins with an uncomplicated yet remarkably alluring acoustic guitar and the peaceful vocals of Alexander Biggs. Atmospheric sounds swirl in the background without intruding into the beauty of the melody. The introduction of finger-picking electric guitar at the bridge (1:48) only enhances the attraction to “Madeleine.”
Other than an “F bomb” that drops from seemingly nowhere (1:05), there isn’t even a tiny hint that the lyrics are unsettling, until attention is turned to the description of a person with anger issues and a potential drug problem (k-hole in the taxi). The song is a consequence of a few toxic relationships:
“It’s almost a caricature, but what makes it so visceral is that we’ve all seen this in someone, maybe even ourselves. This person is violent and destructive, chaotic and thrashing about, but they’re also deeply despondent and in a lot of pain. It’s a reflection upon the awful ways in which we can express our pain, and hopefully one that can be helpful.”
Alexander Biggs is based in Melbourne, Australia. Quoting a bio:
The 25-year-old songwriter has supported top tier talent including Julien Baker, Frightened Rabbit & Evan Dando (The Lemonheads), received tastemaker support from folks at triple j, BBC Radio 1 and KCRW, and independently amassed over 6 million streams on Spotify. His distinctly gentle vocals, stinging lyricism, melodic ingenuity and evocative acoustic arrangements so effectively encapsulate the ambiguous pain of early adulthood — loneliness, lostness and nostalgia for a more carefree time.
"Madeleine” by Alexander Biggs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/biggsalexander/
Website: https://www.alexanderbiggs.com/
Bandcamp: https://alexanderbiggs.bandcamp.com/
Lyrics of "Madeleine” by Alexander Biggs
I wanna see you fight for the hell of it
Pulling out your knife in the street light
Shining so dull on the glitter that flickers like lightning
Bouncing off the back of your blade
I wanna see some blood on your fingernails
Clawing at the club line’s vanity
There’s a pretty face in there too smart for her own good
You’re bound to put her in her place
And on the short ride home, we’ll k-hole in the taxi
I don’t wanna feel a thing at all
I’ve been losing all my lovers
Is this what you wanted, Madeleine?
I wanna get fucked up like a holiday
Spending half my night in the pouring rain
Oh I wanna numb my fingers and numb my brain
Til I can’t feel anything at all
I wanna stay this drunk, wanna celebrate
Moving bar to bar like a slow parade
Oh, I wanna ride like lightning and crash like thunder
Riding down the tracks in our brain
I got that sick, sick feeling to hurt somebody
Babe, I think there’s something wrong in my brain
I’ve been losing all my lovers
Is this what you wanted Madeleine?
And the sun has been out since I’ve been coming down
I don’t know how much more I can take
I’ve been lost I’ve been found asleep on the couch
Just waiting for the light to fade
And I’m trying to work out our wandering doubt
Oh loving you is hard somedays
I’ve been losing all my lovers is this what you wanted, Madeleine?
I’ve been losing all my lovers is this what you wanted, Madeleine?
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