Up until now, New York singer/songwriter Steven Alvarado has dwelled mostly on high-minded precepts, with philosophical ruminations veering towards politics and religion. However, on his latest effort, Let It Go, he, well, lets it go, trading his proselytizing for dark deliberations about broken relationships. Largely acoustic, it opens with a flourish of earnestly strummed offerings – the rockabilly-tinted “Get This Far,” the ever-persistent “It’s For You” and, most notably, the vibrant and jangly “New York.” Ultimately though, the album falls prey to a veil of tears, a downcast demeanor that finds Alvarado reveling in his own despair. “Nobody Knows” is especially affecting, a loser’s lament that finds our hero “Drinking and thinking about you,” even though the woman in question apparently broke his heart into a zillion tiny splinters. Still, that’s only the first hint of apparent anguish; “Burning Bridges,” “Blue,” “It’s Alright” and “Gone, Gone, Gone” document bitter break-ups with unflinching animosity. Several star session players rally in support, but ultimately it’s down to Alvarado wielding his guitar like a weapon and blasting his ex partners in the process. (Mott St. Records)
