Scott Alexander

Local singer-songwriter Scott Alexander likes handing out cookies to strangers. But he doesn't want to appear creepy. So he usually posts up on a street corner with a green inflatable couch, and waits for people to catch his eye. If they do, he'll make the first overture: "Hi, I'm Scott — would you like a cookie?" As a friend-making gambit, it's a little weird. But it seems to serve Alexander well as a form of guerilla marketing. After all, he has managed to attract many random people to his shows, even though he doesn't have a publicist, a label, a band to back him up, or a ton of sex appeal.

In fact, Alexander would characterize himself as a competent but not phenomenal musician. Most of his imagination gets funneled into lyrical content and creative forms of self-promotion. When Alexander got frustrated with a fairly established Brooklyn producer who, he said, was screwing him over, he took the dude to People's Court — and brought cookies for the bailiff. When he wanted Express writers to check out his recent gig at the Stork Club, he posted sock-puppet videos on our Facebook pages. (The one on my page had a sock puppet quoting things I'd written about Alexander in the "Local Licks" column — namely, that his entire album was a ruse.) When he needed a concise way to introduce himself to the music-listening public, he combined video footage of several stunts and turned them into an autobiographical montage. It begins: "I grew up in the tough streets of Mendota Heights, Minnesota ...."

It doesn't take deep psychoanalysis to understand why Alexander resorts to such antics. "I'm vegan, I'm married, I don't drink alcohol," the singer said, defining the limitations of his social sphere. Also: His primary instrument is the bassoon. Not exactly conducive to being a rock star.

That said, the singer has made a pretty good go of it. Originally a saxophonist, he switched to bassoon in high school, partly because of the instrument's high-culture cachet, and partly because he thought it would land him a college scholarship — which it did, to the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. Midway through his undergrad studies Alexander grew weary of the rarefied classical music world, so he transferred to the ethnomusicology department at UCLA. He also adopted the California lifestyle by going vegan (although he wouldn't eat his first salad until three years later) and becoming a rock star.

"Rock star," of course, is a relative term. Alexander started playing guitar and writing songs at age fourteen. Throughout his conservatory career, he lived a parallel life as a garage musician. The two things may have informed each other, but they required opposite mindsets. "With bassoon I learned technique, and subtlety, and practiced scales for hours and hours and hours," he said. "With guitar I just moved my hands around." He said he has trouble playing with other musicians because he doesn't like following rules — or time signatures — and he'll never play a song the same way twice. So he mostly performs solo, in typical singer-songwriter fashion, and plays a repertoire of mostly original material. He's cut four albums so far: Scott Alexander Makes Mistakes, Scott Alexander Makes Friends, Scott Alexander Makes 7 or 8 Dollars, and Scott Alexander Makes a Big Deal Out of It. Occasionally, he'll bring out the bassoon and try his hand at "Flight of the Bumblebee." Sometimes he'll even regale audiences with the suona, a double-reed Chinese folk instrument that he learned in college. He said it's a great party trick.


In person, Alexander is chatty and self-effacing. His round face and rounder glasses give the impression of someone who either emerged from a Norman Rockwell painting or belonged to the UFO club in elementary school. (The latter is true, in fact.) He has an extremely realistic conception of his abilities as a musician and of his appeal as an artist. "I'd say on average, about 15 to 20 percent of the people who promise to come to each of your shows actually do show up," Alexander said, after scolding me for not attending the Stork Club. (The sock puppet trick was cute, but ultimately ineffective.) On the surface, he seems rather benign.

It's only when you delve into the guts of Alexander's lyrics that their sheer bizarreness starts to come through. Take the song "My Little Pony," which spawned from a bedtime story he told to his wife, Rebecca. In the story, Rebecca is a pony who crosses paths with a giant porcupine named Scott. The porcupine warns the pony that she'd better retreat, lest she get pricked by one of his giant quills. But they fall in love anyway, and the pony suggests that the porcupine shed a few spines (I wouldn't care if you looked softer without hair/I'm searching for the softness under there). So the porcupine cast off all his quills, save for the big one between his legs — which he shot straight onto the pony's forehead. She became a unicorn. "So the song is about a pony getting impaled by a - East Bay Express (full page profile)

Local singer-songwriter Scott Alexander likes handing out cookies to strangers. But he doesn't want to appear creepy. So he usually posts up on a street corner with a green inflatable couch, and waits for people to catch his eye. If they do, he'll make the first overture: "Hi, I'm Scott — would you like a cookie?" As a friend-making gambit, it's a little weird. But it seems to serve Alexander well as a form of guerilla marketing. After all, he has managed to attract many random people to his shows, even though he doesn't have a publicist, a label, a band to back him up, or a ton of sex appeal.

In fact, Alexander would characterize himself as a competent but not phenomenal musician. Most of his imagination gets funneled into lyrical content and creative forms of self-promotion. When Alexander got frustrated with a fairly established Brooklyn producer who, he said, was screwing him over, he took the dude to People's Court — and brought cookies for the bailiff. When he wanted Express writers to check out his recent gig at the Stork Club, he posted sock-puppet videos on our Facebook pages. (The one on my page had a sock puppet quoting things I'd written about Alexander in the "Local Licks" column — namely, that his entire album was a ruse.) When he needed a concise way to introduce himself to the music-listening public, he combined video footage of several stunts and turned them into an autobiographical montage. It begins: "I grew up in the tough streets of Mendota Heights, Minnesota ...."

It doesn't take deep psychoanalysis to understand why Alexander resorts to such antics. "I'm vegan, I'm married, I don't drink alcohol," the singer said, defining the limitations of his social sphere. Also: His primary instrument is the bassoon. Not exactly conducive to being a rock star.

That said, the singer has made a pretty good go of it. Originally a saxophonist, he switched to bassoon in high school, partly because of the instrument's high-culture cachet, and partly because he thought it would land him a college scholarship — which it did, to the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. Midway through his undergrad studies Alexander grew weary of the rarefied classical music world, so he transferred to the ethnomusicology department at UCLA. He also adopted the California lifestyle by going vegan (although he wouldn't eat his first salad until three years later) and becoming a rock star.

"Rock star," of course, is a relative term. Alexander started playing guitar and writing songs at age fourteen. Throughout his conservatory career, he lived a parallel life as a garage musician. The two things may have informed each other, but they required opposite mindsets. "With bassoon I learned technique, and subtlety, and practiced scales for hours and hours and hours," he said. "With guitar I just moved my hands around." He said he has trouble playing with other musicians because he doesn't like following rules — or time signatures — and he'll never play a song the same way twice. So he mostly performs solo, in typical singer-songwriter fashion, and plays a repertoire of mostly original material. He's cut four albums so far: Scott Alexander Makes Mistakes, Scott Alexander Makes Friends, Scott Alexander Makes 7 or 8 Dollars, and Scott Alexander Makes a Big Deal Out of It. Occasionally, he'll bring out the bassoon and try his hand at "Flight of the Bumblebee." Sometimes he'll even regale audiences with the suona, a double-reed Chinese folk instrument that he learned in college. He said it's a great party trick.


In person, Alexander is chatty and self-effacing. His round face and rounder glasses give the impression of someone who either emerged from a Norman Rockwell painting or belonged to the UFO club in elementary school. (The latter is true, in fact.) He has an extremely realistic conception of his abilities as a musician and of his appeal as an artist. "I'd say on average, about 15 to 20 percent of the people who promise to come to each of your shows actually do show up," Alexander said, after scolding me for not attending the Stork Club. (The sock puppet trick was cute, but ultimately ineffective.) On the surface, he seems rather benign.

It's only when you delve into the guts of Alexander's lyrics that their sheer bizarreness starts to come through. Take the song "My Little Pony," which spawned from a bedtime story he told to his wife, Rebecca. In the story, Rebecca is a pony who crosses paths with a giant porcupine named Scott. The porcupine warns the pony that she'd better retreat, lest she get pricked by one of his giant quills. But they fall in love anyway, and the pony suggests that the porcupine shed a few spines (I wouldn't care if you looked softer without hair/I'm searching for the softness under there). So the porcupine cast off all his quills, save for the big one between his legs — which he shot straight onto the pony's forehead. She became a unicorn. "So the song is about a pony getting impaled by a - East Bay Express (full page profile)

GIVE someone a cookie, gain a friend. It’s a lesson we all learned in elementary school. And in a world of virtual friendships, Scott Alexander is playing it old school by doling out food in exchange for friendship.
“I guess I’m friendly by profession,” jokes the Manhattan restaurant doorman, who is also a musician.
These days, Alexander — who became disillusioned by the Facebook and MySpace crazes — can be found sitting on a green inflatable couch at random stops throughout the city, giving away vegan cookies.
While he started his friend-making experiment as a way to promote his “non-repetitive pop” music, he maintains, “my ultimate goal is making friends and meeting new people. The music just justifies the amount of time I’ve put into it.”
.

Alexander has his qualms with social networking sites, namely that they discourage people from offline interactions. He claims that people are so terrified by the prospect of picking up their phones that they rarely call his cookie hotline, which if you do, you’ll be treated to catchy informational jingle about where to find him next.
That said, he’s not totally anti-social-networking. In fact, Twitter plays an integral role in his goodie venture. He tweets the progress of his baking and the coordinates of his location so his nearly 400 Twitter followers will know where to show up and what cookies to expect when they get there.
He’s been at it for three months now and plans to continue as long as the weather cooperates. Why? Well, because it works.
Alexander claims he’s personally met about 25 percent of his online followers, one of whom was included in his recent wedding — and others who have taken serious interest in his music and social experiment.
The last time he inflated the couch and handed out vegan mint-chocolate-chip cookies, Alexander says, “When I was out of cookies, a bunch of people I was talking to invited me up to their roof to play charades and just hang out.”
“If I was single, this would be the best way to meet women,” he says.
“Girls love cookies — and they love men with cookies.”
Alexander acknowledges that while he might come off a little creepy, he promises he won’t poison you or even push his veganism on you. He’s just like every other kindergartner out there: “I absolutely just want to be liked and be popular with lots of people.”
If you want to be Scott’s friend, you can follow him via twitter.com/freecookiesnyc.

- New York Post

Facts of life: 1) Cookies are awesome; 2) Free is awesome; 3) Free cookies are, by virtue of the rules of mathematics, exponentially more awesome than both of the above. Based on this alone, the Free Cookies Variety Show — which, indeed, promises gratis baked goods — should be pretty great. Also on hand: music, poetry, comedy, hula-hooping, and yo-yoing, with yet more acts to be announced — all hosted by the inimitable, absurdly hilarious Scott Alexander, a Jack-of-all-trades comic-musician-chef whose pumpkin-pecan cheesecake is said to be transcendent. Saturday, Apr. 30, at the Oakland Public Conservatory (1616 Franklin St., Oakland). 8 p.m., $10, with canned good $8. ScottAlexanderMusic.com — Ellen Cushing - East Bay Express

If “non-repetitive pop” musician and trained ethnomusicologist Scott Alexander’s newest set of songs sound unpolished, it’s because after a sophomore effort with full production, he decided to release his follow-up with a more authentic, cheaper sound. The resulting money-themed 8-song album Scott Alexander Makes 7 or 8 Dollars includes a touch of guitar jangle, slippery one-take production, an interestingly experimental use of banjitar and other instruments, sweet silly lyrics, and a shaky bellow not unlike that of Jonathan Richman, with a hint of Nick Cave’s low, ragged vocal style.

But the cacophony works well, especially on the barebones acoustic Cure-esque Let’s Go Shopping, the fragile female-sung popfolk Penny Gumball, and this strange and ultimately broken-beauty cover. Sounds like he’d be worth catching live, too, and not just because Alexander makes a habit of baking fresh cookies for his audiences, not to mention giving them out free on the streets of his native Brooklyn. And though his songs are arguably anti-folk popsongs through and through, frankly, I had nowhere else to put this Neil Diamond cover this week. - Covery Lay Down

If “non-repetitive pop” musician and trained ethnomusicologist Scott Alexander’s newest set of songs sound unpolished, it’s because after a sophomore effort with full production, he decided to release his follow-up with a more authentic, cheaper sound. The resulting money-themed 8-song album Scott Alexander Makes 7 or 8 Dollars includes a touch of guitar jangle, slippery one-take production, an interestingly experimental use of banjitar and other instruments, sweet silly lyrics, and a shaky bellow not unlike that of Jonathan Richman, with a hint of Nick Cave’s low, ragged vocal style.

But the cacophony works well, especially on the barebones acoustic Cure-esque Let’s Go Shopping, the fragile female-sung popfolk Penny Gumball, and this strange and ultimately broken-beauty cover. Sounds like he’d be worth catching live, too, and not just because Alexander makes a habit of baking fresh cookies for his audiences, not to mention giving them out free on the streets of his native Brooklyn. And though his songs are arguably anti-folk popsongs through and through, frankly, I had nowhere else to put this Neil Diamond cover this week. - Covery Lay Down

Scott Alexander is at it again. The New York City singer/songwriter who’s at least as well known for his music as for his impromptu cookie handouts returns with Scott Alexander Makes A Big Deal Out Of It, furthering his eclectic and at times bombastic songwriting style. The album caps off a big twelve months for Alexander, which included the release of his EP, Scott Alexander Makes 7 or 8 Dollars and his national television debut on “The People’s Court”.

Alexander opens with "A Price", laying out the cost of individuality in a society that values it as long as you don't stand out. The sound here is very reminiscent of the solo work of Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies). "Everything Is Complicated" features Jessica Teague on vocals, showing off a voice that's comely by any standard. The song sounds like something from an off-off-off-Broadway show; an odd amalgam of jazz and highly dramatic show tune that explores the dichotomies and disparities of everyday life in highly dramatic fashion. With "Special Effects", Alexander explores love and its effects in a folk/punk form reminiscent of the Violent Femmes. "Why Are You So Horny? and "Independence And Love" seem to find Alexander a bit off track in that land where irony and humor briefly diverge, but his cover of "Bad Reputation" (Joan Jett) is a humorous mix of Alexander's voice and saxophone (and nothing else) and is highly entertaining in the same way that the insecure protestations of a teen might be to an outside observer (think "Weird Al" Yankovic without a budget). The album closes with a studio version of "You Are Not A Market", previously released in an "Attic Version" on the recent Scott Alexander Makes 7 or 8 Dollars EP. Alexander includes that EP on the full length CD as a bonus for those who still like hard copies of their music.

Scott Alexander inhabits the strange twilight between serious social observer, novelty musician and brilliant self-marketer that includes people such as, well... Scott Alexander. There's really no one like him in popular music. I don't suspect that will change, but I also do not suspect Alexander will ever stop creating his curiously intriguing ditties that mix social confusion, angst, post-suburban anger and wit with a talent for writing lyrics that grab your attention in surprising ways. Sometimes he'll make you laugh; sometimes he'll remind you of the kid who got pushed into lockers in junior high, but either way you'll remember Scott Alexander.

That's half the battle. - Wildy's World

I just reviewed this guy’s other cd a few months ago (MAKES 7 OR 8 DOLLARS). Busy bugger , aren’t you? He writes dramatic/goofy stuff that could count as rock opera. “Everything is Complicated” has lovely female vocals as well as horns and strings. Some of this is ambitious and other gunk is easily forgettable. Hey, he got me to listen. www.scottalexandermusic.com - Daggerzine

Scott Alexander's music may not be as dark and deep as Elliott Smith's or even Nick Drake, but like those great songwriters Alexander lets his soul bare in his songs and is honest almost too a fault. His tunes are a reflection of his subconscious and the weird thoughts that bounce between his ears from day to day. This doesn't make these ideas or songs any less important, in fact, Alexander's wonderful awkwardness, imperfections and sharp turn of phrase, make his a mind that is funny, beautiful and random enough to make well worth a stroll around.

Ahead of publication, Scott was found on Myspace and sent this flattering personal email from the reviewer.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottalexander/2756739439/
- The Deli Magazine

Who is Scott Alexander? In my own quest to answer this question the obvious details emerged first: Scott Alexander, bedecked in the loud clothing (a clumsy tuxedo, a brightly colored flannel cap with the brim flipped up) so characteristic of those of us who had both the brains and the social woes in high school to understand the absurdity of fashion or that oh so elusive word “cool,” is a nerd. He was a nerd before Ben Gibbard proudly labeled himself one and he will be a nerd after the trend has passed. However, aside from his thick glasses and academic background studying bassoon at the Peabody Conservatory and ethnomusicology at UCLA, Scott Alexander is a savvy pop artist with a good shot at revolutionizing the industry’s performance aesthetic.

In an era of bleeding-heart trailer rock and business-minded hip-hop stars, Scott Alexander sidesteps the determined face of today’s music that seems to say, “I take myself really, really seriously,” by… not taking himself too seriously. In his 2004 release Makes Friends the songwriter’s wit comes through in his lyrics, delivered with a sound and attack reminiscent of Talking Heads front man David Byrne. By using straight forward, almost conversational lyrics, Alexander creates a casual style that ironically reaches far beyond the flashiest efforts artists employ to breathe new life into worn out chord progressions. As his baritone guitar moves through meandering harmonies in a song called F’ing Technology, he nonchalantly explains, “I don’t keep numbers in my head/ I use my cell phone now instead/ so my brain has extra space/ to imagine being face to face.” Suddenly, a bassoon takes over the melody with the precision of classical training, placing a musical period on his expression and heightening the matter-of-fact nature of his music.

Alexander’s professional training in music is manifest in this songwriting, where recycled ideas are abandoned for a more progressive approach. In fact, the relaxed nature of his music may be a symptom of his genius, a genuine boredom with the pop song form. Regardless, the appearance of ease and humor in Scott Alexander’s music is precisely what makes it so competitive. While other artists simply make what they do look hard by furrowing their brows, Scott Alexander sounds like he’s having fun – and that is something fans can get behind. We may never hear of him again, but if there is any justice in the world for us nerds, Scott Alexander will become an important figure in popular music. - hotindienews.com

Scott Alexander is a coffee house poet who happens to be a classically trained musician; a talented music educator whose stream-of-consciousness songwriting style disarms the listener with its candor. Mr. Alexander pays homage to the likes of Lou Reed, Billy Bragg and Jonathan Richman as influences, but he also could be described as sort of a punk Garrison Keillor. On Scott Alexander Makes Friends he talk/sings through three songs that at first sound like condemnations of world around him, but end up as condemnations of self.

The key to Scott Alexander is a thriving insecurity that runs through his music and performance art-like self-promotion. A self-deprecating spirit that could be self-destructive is instead used to comment effect to further disarm the listener. It’s not until you’ve listened through the EP a couple of times that you find yourself saying, “Hey, this guy has a lot to say!”

The effect is almost too good. Some will write off Scott Alexander as a quasi-depressed novelty act; He is anything but. While this EP is not enough of Scott Alexander to say you know him, it’s similar to a speed dating encounter, leaving you with just enough to know you’d like to find out a little more.

Rating: Buy It Soon!

http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2008/03/review-scott-alexander-makes-friends-ep.html - Wildy's World

Scott Alexander doesn't really fit into any categories. The Peabody-trained bassoonist and ethnomusicologist turns to Frogs-meets-Godz creepy-funny guitar-folk for 2004's Scott Alexander Makes Mistakes. And he really revels in his cheery awkwardness. The repeated "I don't want to deal with you" lyric in "Make a Difference" is so perfectly pitched it sounds like exasperated sigh and necessary push, and its utter lack of sarcasm gives it a bitter twist. And the title alone of "Ethical Pervert" maps the boundaries of Alexander's lyrics fairly well. - Brett McCabe

Sometimes it takes more than performing astounding music to be a truly memorable musician. Thanks to his unique method of self promotion and all around sense of humor, Scott Alexander left the most lasting impression on me this year. Here is an artist who appears to genuinely want to make friends with his fans, even going as far to bake some vegan cookies to be given away at each show. With a melodic singer/ songwriter style and songs busting with modern day satire, there's no reason you shouldn't be checking out this CD. Go ahead ... we'll be here when you get back. (Reviewed by Thomas D. Szewc) - Indie-music.com

A local musician known for hanging out on an inflatable couch in the city handing out vegan cookies is moving - and he's taking his homemade goodies with him.

But before Scott Alexander, a.k.a. the "Cookie Man," goes to California, the 29-year-old Brooklyn bassoon and baritone guitar player is planning a variety show to remember Friday night. And it's entirely made up of performers he's befriended from the comfort of his blow-up furniture.

"It's about meeting as many people as possible and all the good things that can come from that," said the recently unemployed doorman of his tooth-ache inducing hobby. "I've actually made genuine friends through this."

Those friendships are about to pay off.

The performers at Alexander's farewell show tonight at 10 p.m. at The Suffolk, in Manhattan are the musicians, comedians and a psychic and comedians he's met over the year he's been giving out cookies in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.

One of the comedians, eating competitions organizer Dave Keating, 38, of Crown Heights, met Alexander - and his signature couch - at a Brooklyn show a few months ago.

"I went and talked to him for a little while," said Keating, who will perform his first stand-up act at tonight's variety show. "His cookies were delicious."

Keating was a bit broken up to learn that Alexander would be moving to Oakland next week to be with his wife who is starting graduate school.

"Damn," he said. "He is taking his delicious cookies with him."

But Alexander has no plans to give up his mouthwatering hobby.

"I'm actually hoping that doing the cookie thing might help me find a job," he said. "People seem to be most impressed by me when they see me giving away cookies."
- New York Daily News

Brooklyn musician Scott Alexander, better known as the "Cookie Man," is leaving New York to be with his wife in California. You mean giving out vegan cookies for free from an inflatable couch on the street isn't as rewarding as love? Comedian Dave Keating, who organized Alexander's goodbye-show last night at The Suffolk, told the Daily News, "Damn. He is taking his delicious cookies with him." But Alexander hopes that the West Coast will be as receptive to his baking endeavors. "I'm actually hoping that doing the cookie thing might help me find a job. People seem to be most impressed by me when they see me giving away cookies." - Gothamist

Musically, Scott and I have shared many experiences: thrash-sax driven basement garage rock, offbeat experimental boom box recordings, drop-the-needle-style listening contests, and strolling madrigals. Through all of this, I criticized Scott for his inconsistency, his unwillingness to stray from his own track to earn wider appeal. My frustration peaked after days of pulling teeth in the recording studio resulted in 15 recorded songs (only one made the cut for this album) all of which I hated for months, if not years after the session. Our friendship continued and after numerous conversations about his work with street musicians in LA, his study of ethnomusicology, as well as his conservatory training in classical bassoon and renaissance lute, I found myself unwittingly singing his tunes. I had overcome my neat-freak obsession of stabilizing Scott’s sound to find myself embracing all that I had previously found so offensive. He hasn’t attempted to capture the spirit of every man, but insists that if a song is true, anybody can relate. I have played witness to Scott charging unfazed, full speed, head first, helmet cast aside, into countless mishaps that would leave most disheartened, embarrassed, or at the very least needing a change of trousers. Scott is not fearless; he is not compelled by the adrenaline fix sought by most adventurers. You’re about to find out that Scott Alexander makes music that does not fail to express his longing for the real. Utterly self conscious, Scott’s songs explode ego, baring the bland and bizarre of identity in strip-mauled Middle America. Self-righteous rants, imagined conversations, fantasies, dreams, and outright lies come together to form Scott Alexander’s take on truth.
- June 2004
- John Brauer- Columbia University

Voted best by Garageband.com members. http://www.garageband.com/song?%7Cpe1%7CS8LTM0LdsaSjZVa2YW8 - GarageBand.com

There’s a spectacled man with tray full of vegan cookies standing in front of you, extending his hand. ‘Who in the world is this guy?’ you may ask yourself. Next you’d probably think ‘what does he want?’ Well, his name is Scott Alexander, and he’s a singer/songwriter who, simply put, wants to make friends.

Scott Alexander Makes Friends is a three-song collection featuring classic guitar work and even the occasional bassoon solo. While his skill on these instruments is particularly interesting, the biggest draw here is the extremely entertaining social commentary. Barely any lyric goes by without actually saying something significant or having some kind of multiple layers to it. What benefits Alexander the most is that the message never gets too heavy handed or preachy. In most cases, the words end up being too witty to allow that to happen, as can be seen in these lines from “F’ing Technology:”

A robot took a photo of me driving my Toyota,
Through a stoplight in Mendota Minnesota.
The red I did not see, I was watching a home movie,
On the dashboard of the car in front of me ...

It’s satire on the modern day world such as this that makes Scott’s songs so enjoyable. You’ll find numerous instances where you’ll be thinking to yourself ‘oh man, that’s so true’ or ‘wow, I never thought about it like that’ as you’re giggling through the absurdity of it all. The humor remains well written through all three songs, but at times can be a bit darker than you may initially expect. “Unfortunately Fat” strikes me as a song that will really induce some varying reactions from different listeners. Without holding nothing back, it examines what it’s like for someone to look upon an overweight individual with a sense of superficial sympathy. However, it’s the last line of the song that brilliantly brings the whole moral commentary around:

The reason that I stare,
And judge you so unfair,
What I feel is inside of me,
Is showing on the outside of you ...

I think it’s entirely impossible to talk about this album without bringing up Alexander’s unique way of promoting himself. After all, it goes hand in hand with the actual CD. The title isn’t just a clever play on words; Scott really wants to be you friend. Take a stop by his website and you’ll find a specific section where you can introduce yourself, tell him a little about who you are, or just send him whatever thoughts are on your mind. Scott then hopes you’ll do your part to help your new found friend get some attention by spreading the word around about his coolness. He even offers a handy list of ways to do just that (hey, looks like I got step #5 down. Woo-hoo!).

However, don’t think it stops there. If you find yourself at a Scott Alexander performance, expect to get some free vegan cookies made by the man himself (and I’ve had vegan cookies before; they can be pretty damn tasty). I can’t say I’ve ever seen such a creative way of trying to get yourself known to the public; there’s something about the hands on approach that just really feels special.

There’s only one honest problem with Scott Alexander Makes Friends, and it’s the same problem that comes with any three song album of this quality: it feels way too short. What you get is entirely worth every penny you pay, but you will definitely wish you got to spend some more time with Scott. Considering his well thought out marketing approach, I’m slightly disappointed Alexander didn’t offer more meat to the central product. Consider this, however: Scott Alexander wants to make friends, so perhaps the small track size is just his way of introducing himself. Works rather nicely in that context, doesn’t it? Either way, I recommend any potential friends to check out www.scottalexandermusic.com and download the extra track “NP Radio,” which I hereby nominate as a possible theme song for the Indie music way of life. At the very least, it gives you one more song to enjoy, and I promise you will enjoy it. - Indie-music.com

Scott Alexander doesn't flinch contrary to "What Other People Think" one of his exquisitely soul-bearing songs. Scott is an amazing
songwriter who does not shy away from the honest, the awkward or the
odd. He puts his imperfection out there for all to see and for those
who are brave enough to look, he puts on an important performance.
- Amy Chace

"Ask NYC-based musician, Scott Alexander, to classify his music and he’ll tell you it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard. So what’s the difference between him and all the other performers who claim the same thing? Alexander’s right. "

To see the full article and interview by Marissa Kristal, visit http://www.bvmagazine.com/Archived%20Pages/Issue%203/Poetry%20and%20Music%20-%20Scott%20Alexander.htm - Marissa Kyrstal