Review: “KEEP IT UP” by Rex Orange County
Cover art for the new single “KEEP IT UP” by Rex Orange County
After two years and change of no new music, Rex Orange County released “KEEP IT UP”, the first single off his upcoming album Who Cares?, due to release on February 26. As a long-time Rex fan, I was excited but also nervous to listen to the single. The last new music he released was 2019’s Pony album, which strayed from bedroom pop and veered into straight pop. While there were some instant classics (looking at you, “Pluto Projector”), there were also some juvenile, unexceptional songs (looking at you, “Never Had The Balls”). As his success has grown, Rex Orange County’s sound has shifted to accommodate a larger listening base with help from some notable industry professionals. But has this change been for the better? Let’s take a look.
“KEEP IT UP” opens with an ensemble of classical strings eerily similar to Olivia Rodrigo’s “brutal,” but with the addition of hi-hats, transitions smoothly to an upbeat melody. The verse comes in right away, with Rex singing “Every time I open my mouth/I have regrets in my mind.” As the song continues into the chorus, he encourages himself to “keep it up and go on,” and to live for himself. The lyrics are simple and address his relationship with his audience and his struggle with fame. This theme has come up before in his songs, most recently in “Stressed Out,” where he sings “They wanna take what's yours/They wanna go for dinner on your name.”
This song, thankfully, highlights his vocals. While not melodically intense, the backing track supports him instead of drowning him out, even when the strings come back in. We get a taste of some nice harmonies, and in the outro, a lovely, jazzy vocal run. It’s a hint of his old self amongst the bright, poppy melodies.
Rex Orange County broke through the indie scene with the bedroom produced Bcos U Will Never B Free in 2015. I found him shortly after it came out and fell in love with his style of speak-singing, the dreamy guitars and lo-fi synths he used, and most importantly, the depth of his lyrics. He was experimental with songs like “Green Eyes, Pt. II,” which sounded like a spoken word poem turned outburst, and tender with songs like “Know Love.” His 2017 album, Apricot Princess, mixed soul and jazz influences to create complex songs that defied typical structures. In “Untitled,” Rex communicated regret in a stream-of-consciousness, and in “Four Seasons,” transitions from a poignant intro to his signature speak-singing, to a triumphant, drum-heavy finale. Earlier on in the year, he released two of his most popular singles, “Best Friend” and “Sunflower,” which are dance-in-front-of-the-mirror-like-nothing-matters songs.
Rex’s journey as a musician began with him making music in true bedroom pop fashion. He initially released Bcos U Will Never B Free on Bandcamp and wrote all 10 songs (not including Cape Fear by Cosmo Pyke which did not make the mainstream album release.) In Apricot Princess, he retained all writing credits, but received additional help with some of the classical instruments and engineering. Pony, which was released through Sony Music, has notable changes in collaborations. Rex worked closely with Ben Baptie, a sound engineer who has worked with Cage the Elephant (“Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” “Cigarette Daydreams”), The Strokes (“The Adults Are Talking,” “Selfless”) and other artists like Arcade Fire, Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga. His sound engineering credits are impressive, but his work on Pony appears to be the first time he’s taken on additional responsibilities. He’s credited with production and engineering credits for the whole album and has writing credits on seven of the 10 songs.
My issue with Pony lies with the songwriting. Most of the tracks follow a very traditional song pattern and deal with general themes of growing up, love, and the anxieties of fame. It’s hard to compare the lyrics of Pony’s “It’s Not the Same Anymore” (It's a big shame/So many feelings, struggling to leave my mouth) to Bcos U Will Never B Free’s “Japan” (“With the sheets like weights/And brain tied down to a stone-cold pillow”). What first drew me to Rex was that his songs were beautiful yet complex. Most of Pony felt like background radio music to me.
“KEEP IT UP” feels like a mix of Pony and some of his earlier singles. Rex collaborated with songwriter and producer Benny Sings, who also helped make the single “Loving is Easy.” While the lyrics were simple, I couldn’t help but appreciate his earnestness, and I found the song growing on me as I listened to it more. I’m hoping his upcoming album is not a second Pony. But I’m also not asking for another Bcos U Will Never B Free. I think Rex’s talent shines through in his songwriting and creativity, and I hope he doesn’t forgo that for a more palatable sound in Who Cares? We’ll see what direction he goes in as more singles are released, but for now, “KEEP IT UP” gives me hope.
Album art for the upcoming Rex Orange County release WHO CARES?
Watch the official music video and listen to “KEEP IT UP” below.
