If you are unfamiliar with Eric Alexandrakis, I wouldn’t blame you.  Much of his discography consists of commercial releases for large companies, as well as frequent concept albums of spoken word amalgamated with alt-rock.  Eric’s claims to fame include experimental projects with actor John Malkovich, as well as a 2019 Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album for his project “I.V Catatonia, 20 Years as a Two-Time Cancer Survivor.”  With his latest EP release, “Good Girls Never Waltz with Me,” Eric continues his artistic vision, albeit with far fewer spoken word elements than his previous releases.

“Good Girls Never Waltz with Me” is a short affair, with a total runtime coming in at slightly less than 16 minutes. However, in this case, short does not mean focused. The EP crosses many genres and jumps back and forth between them with seemingly no rhyme or reason. Spoken word, punk, techno-funk, folk and more, are all present here. The 11-second opening track of the EP, “The Landing of Figaro,” juxtaposes what appears to be a recording of an airline stewardess with what I can only describe as a simulated orchestral cinema score.  The second and titular track is a brief ballad that begins with only electric guitar and vocals, then adds layers of light percussion, as well as a string section, as the song progresses. The third track on the project, “Dreamgirls from Hell,” is the longest, a five-minute instrumental that combines drum machine beats with multiple layers of deafening, heavily modulated, shoegaze-y guitars. This is one of the better listens on the album as a whole and uses driving guitar parts masterfully to create a palpable sense of tension. Next, “Leisl’s Waltz” is a piano waltz combined with field recordings from an excursion Alexandrakis took in Austria. “Hunting Punk Venus” is a one-minute fuzzy punk track that unfortunately ends before it has a real shot at taking off.  After this, the only spoken word track on the album, “I Love Me, Myself, and I” begins. This track consists of a character with a hackneyed aristocratic accent discussing his self-centered opinions on finding love, all backed by a baroque string section. “Disco Fembot Valentine” mixes techno dance music with funky slap bass and a Shakespearean sonnet read by a robot to create a unique, upbeat sound. Alexandrakis’ young son is front and center on the final track, with his own rendition of the title track of the album.

After several listens, this EP falls flat. There are several viable ideas present that could potentially be fleshed out to create something meaningful, but Alexandrakis only halfway dips into any of them. I would have loved to listen to a concept EP of techno-funk with robot vocals, for example. Matters become worse when one realizes that two of the better songs on the album, ‘Dreamgirls’ and ‘Hunting Punk’ are reworks of songs found on “I.V. Catatonia,” Alexandrakis’ most critically acclaimed release. The only full spoken word track on the album, ‘I Love Me’ is at best, laughable, and at worst, too grating and heavy-handed to effectively ridicule the narcissism of its main character. The few interludes on the EP are so disconnected that their inclusion offers little merit. Despite a few enjoyable and well produced tracks such as “Dreamgirls from Hell” and “Disco Fembot Valentine,” “Good Girls Never Waltz with Me” feels like a throwaway release.

“Good Girls Never Waltz with Me” releases on February first, 2022.

Favorite Track: “Dreamgirls from Hell”

Rating: 2/5 stars