The Damnwells’ Alex Dezen Reveals Plans for Second Solo Album

The frontman for indie-rock band the Damnwells is officially stepping out on his own. Following an official announcement of the band's end, lead singer Alex Dezen is releasing his second solo record.

Just months after his self-titled debut solo record in February 2016, Dezen has announced the release of II, a new album that serves as a natural continuation of Alex Dezen. Walking a fine line between the past, present and future, II continues Dezen's quest to push artistic boundaries and find his ultimate calling as an artist.

"In many ways, the job of an artist is to re-examine what came before," says Dezen in an official press release. "That informs what we do next ... my intention when I made this record was not to make an 80s record, but as soon as I got the guitar in my hands and started messing around with chords and getting further along into the production and the writing, it just went that way — and it felt very natural to me."

Set for release on Feb. 3, II seamlessly blends the old and new to create a record that sounds familiar in many ways, but still forges something new. The songs are catchy but full of meaning as Dezen explores racial injustice ("I Am a Racist") and lost hope ("When You Give Up") with courage and perseverance.

But just because he's exploring potentially heavy topics, Dezen doesn't let his latest release get too weighty. Songs like "Holding On to You (Holding On to Me)" draws obvious comparisons to Fleetwood Mac's 1979 album, Tusk - and it's a comparison that Dezen welcomes.

"That music has been in my mind and in my ears as long as I can remember," he says. "The late-’70s was an interesting time. Disco was dying, so there’s this weird combination of disco and rock & roll happening together, which produced some really cool stuff ... I wish I had been in that band! This song is the closest I’m going to get."

Dezen's second album comes after 16 years with New York-based rock band, The Damnwells. Dezen calls his time with the band "an amazing run" but admits that "it's time to move on" after five albums with founding members David Chernis, Ted Hudson and Steven Terry. In fact, Dezen has been exploring the world of a solo singer-songwriter for years. He's written for a diverse group of music stars - everyone from Dave Grohl to the Dixie Chicks, and from Justin Bieber to Kelly Clarkson. In 2014, he released a series of four solo EPs, and in 2015 he collaborated with national dance company, Pilobolus Dance Theater to compose the score for an original dance piece performed in New York City.

II is set for release on Feb. 3, with a North American headlining tour in the works for later in 2017. More information on Dezen's new album can be found on Pledge Music and upcoming shows can be found on his website.