A few years ago, I walked into The Basement to see The Mute Group play a set with Fable Cry and HR Lexy. All three acts were known for putting on a spectacle of a show but I was not prepared for what I saw with HR Lexy. No shade to The Mute Group or Fable Cry – their flavor of spectacle was a treat as well – but HR Lexy was performing songs from ART OVEREGO and it was entrancing. This 2019 video from Mercy Lounge will give you an inkling of what I witnessed but no recording could put you in the same headspace.
Fast forward to 2023; I’ve had the great fortune to see HR Lexy play a few shows in support of the new record Every Scar is an Open Door. Vocalist Arlene Sparacia performs in a red shroud, obscuring her face but demanding your attention. The songs are otherworldly but catchy. Alien but memorable. Or, at least, that’s how my brain remembers them. You see, the songs aren’t available to stream anywhere, aren’t for sale on Bandcamp and can only be heard in person or on CD.. purchased at a show. It’s a rather old fashioned way of enjoying music – in person or in your own mind.
That is, until they press a vinyl record of it. Over on GoFundMe, there is a fundraising campaign to help them put the record on wax; a permanent totem of their creations and an excellent keepsake. It’s frustrating not to be able to hear the HR Lexy songs online at the click of a button but I applaud the technique. The songs are spellbinding. The wait may be difficult but it’s assuredly worth it.
HR Lexy has done an excellent job of building demand for what they do – a feat that took years of inspired music videos, honest to god fashion and true performance art to get there. It’s been a helluva thing to watch mature over time and I, for one, am extremely intrigued by what’s in store with Every Scar is an Open Door. So, please join me supporting the record.