Lighter by Ali Angel
"retro-soul production and classic songwriting style emanate a 1970’s influence..."
There’s a grungy, retro intro to the latest brilliant single, Lighter, from LA Angel: Ali Angel. I think she’s a little bit angry this week although the anger builds steadily from a gentle start. It seems like so much water has gone under the bridge since I first wrote about Ali back in cold April now that we’re in cold November. Her releases since then have all been brilliant.
Ali Angel
What would a queer Sheryl Crow sound like? It’s not a question anyone is ever likely to ask you. Nobody has ever asked me. But it turns out the answer is Ali Angel, the Queer Crow. I mention it here because she so evidently loves the name herself. It was quite a long time before I understood Ali is queer, but then... it took her a while to realise herse…
Ali introduces this song herself in an Instagram post. She is something of an astrology expert and apparently “a Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius” is not the most propitious time to be releasing new music…
But it’s ironically on theme with the song, which is all about my need to just let it rip and say some crazy impulsive shit I definitely don’t mean or scream to nobody in my car just to get out my frustration and energy. Maybe that’s something I should work on, maybe I’m just a Sagittarius hehe ✨🔥 it’s also about my frustration with hypocritical, hateful politicians and corrupt systems so I felt like November was the perfect release month. AND it’s a middle finger to all the shitty Tesla drivers who cut me off on the road :) Lighter comes out this Friday ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
So it’s an angry rant, but such an enjoyable one. The lo-fi intro is bookended with an actual lighter being flicked into action. I really hope she’s not burning anything to the ground. Has she created the genre of the arson ballad?
Many others have understandably compared Ali Angel to the great Sheryl Crow but she occupies her own ground in music too. I still remember hearing Ali’s Stone Cold the first time, and I put it on heavy rotation for weeks on end. It’s her coming-of-age song and you can really feel the emotion pouring out in it. Whatever Ali is singing about, however upset or however angry she is, she always brings a sense of humour to the occasion. More from Ali herself below.
Lighter is about my frustration with everything from US politics and hierarchies to fake people to drivers cutting me off on the road. It stresses my need as a fiery Sagittarius to have a means of letting my rage out, and I won’t ACTUALLY burn anything down, sometimes I just need to scream about wanting to :) made with same team (Tyler Ballgame/Ryan Pollie). Stole the intro guitar riff from my girlfriend who was noodling one day and then wrote the song!
You can catch Ali May Angel at all kinds of venues around LA and further afield and you can read more on her own site. She has a funny TikTok account and she shares posts on Instagram regularly.
She Says It's More Than Alright
It is no secret that I think the Californian sun shines out of Ali Angel’s mouth. Every single song she sings is incredible, catchy, cool, sizzling. She looks cool just walking around town, but on the back of a motorbike she’s off the charts. Everyone’s favourite queer LA-raised motorbiking fire sign, I am sure you will agree. The new one this week is