Dalton Alexander - I Wonder How Many Are Still Alive

A Closer Listen

If the album title looks slightly but not completely familiar, it’s because we reviewed Almost Home If I’m Still Alive last year.  That LAAPS LP included Dalton Alexander‘s entire first album, plus three tracks from his second.  This year, I Wonder How Many Are Still Alive appears in physical form for the first time and includes all ten tracks, courtesy of oscarson.

We’re thrilled to be able to write about this release, which the artist calls his “second debut album.”  On this set, Alexander moves beyond acoustic guitar and invites numerous collaborators to flesh out his vision.  The album is dedicated to a friend named Miriam Lukszova, who passed away in 2021, one of three deaths that affected the composer in a compressed period of time.  “Modrý (For Miriam)” is dedicated to her and sits at the heart of the set, followed later by a reprise.  Reminiscent of Pachelbel’s Canon, the composition grows gently from acoustic guitar to strings and glockenspiel and intertwined, wordless voices, somehow melancholic and hopeful all at the same time, reflecting the multiple associations of its title, which means blue.

In our LAAPS review, we lamented the fact that “Last Night of Summer” was not included.  While summer is just about to launch, the track underlines the wistfulness of the season, which seems to start disappearing as soon as it begins.  Wordless female voice, acoustic guitar and field recordings create a gorgeous tapestry.  The presence of the 40-second “Before Time Runs Out” between these two pieces adds a foreboding note; knowing that life can end at any time, one is urged to live fully and deeply.  The harmonium of “Aunt Lou” echoes like an elegy.  And though the playground kids of “Réuni De Toutes Parts” shout about life and death, they seem oblivious to its impact.

This being said, the album as a whole is a celebration of life, and contains a healthy amount of humor.  The album begins with footsteps, whistling and a barking dog, making one wonder if the walker should have taken that “Shortcut Through Harmon Park.”  “Talent Show” might bring back the winces of elementary days, albeit with a smile; one can hear multiple participants rehearsing at once.  And “Requiem for Rubber Bands” is a reminder of the fun sounds that one can make with everyday objects, even from an early age.  The tentative notes vibrate with musical joy.  The dog returns late, in “Perhaps a Bird,” still barking, drawing things full circle.

When one begins to mourn, one thinks primarily of loss; as the process continues, one remembers love and laughter.  Sorrow gives way to gratitude and soft acceptance.  I Wonder How Many Are Still Alive communicates this shift.  A year and a half after initial release, this tape may sound different even to the composer.  We’re glad it’s here.  (Richard Allen)