No Album Left Behind: Alex Cano’s Every Rise of the Sun

Over the course of 2019, Paste has reviewed about 300 albums. Yet, hundreds—if not thousands—of albums have slipped through the cracks. This December, we’re delighted to launch a new series called No Album Left Behind, in which our core team of critics reviews some of their favorite records we may have missed the first time around, looking back at some of the best overlooked releases of 2019.

When life tries to knock you down, either with roadblocks or stagnating anxiety, you have a decision to make. On one hand, you could choose to remain in that dark and suffocating place. Alex Cano, however, powerfully emphasizes the beauty that emerges with choosing a more productive, resilient route on his debut album, Every Rise of the Sun.

Tracks weave into one another with ease, culminating in a singular, cohesive listen. The first song, “Got My Number,” starts off with an exhilarating guitar riff followed by the gentle rattling of a tambourine, easing the listener into the record before heavy-hitting rock drums (played by none other than Cano himself) roll in. It all paints a vivid picture of a visceral moment familiar to most: waking up to the sound of your alarm and pulling yourself out of bed, kickstarting your day with the help of a strong cup of coffee. “I gotta move, yeah / I gotta run, yeah,” Cano later exclaims in the chorus.

It’s natural to want to box artists into specific categories, but it feels almost unfair to put a label on this body of work. For instance, “Asleep at the Wheel” is a headbanger that satisfies an appetite for bona fide alternative rock music, channeling a Nirvana-esque energy. Then there’s the album’s final track, “Two Steps on the Train,” a memorable tune that has “folk rock/country Song of the Summer” written all over it.