Greg Mendez – First Time / Alone

“Baby, please, turn off the lights / I know it’s not the first time / You saw me cry,” Philly’s Greg Mendez sings on the single “First Time” from his latest EP, First Time/Alone. It’s an exercise in brevity and simplicity (each of the four songs lasts two minutes or less), but its Elliott Smith-influenced songs are still packed with indie hooks and deep feeling. “Baby, please be good tonight / I know it’s not the first time… / That you were right.”

Not only does he share Elliott Smith’s love of soulful melodies, but also some of his refreshing melancholy. Like on EP opener “Mountain Dew Hell,” where he sings, “Everyone’s abandoned / nobody’s here / I’m all alone / Drinking Mountain Dew.” Sugar soda, “Pain Meds,” hard drugs, it’s all a kind of high , which comes with a hidden punishment at the end, and Mendez’s compassionate and witty lyrics touch the heart, so a little goes a long way.

In the final piece, in an aesthetic twist, his voice is pitched higher, like that of a chipmunk. His acoustic guitar is also tuned louder. It’s all just a little touch of magic. He’ll be touring next year with Lomelda and Tomberlin, two acts who share his bedroom indie feel. They are all experts in minimalism and emotionality. Greg Mendez’s self-titled album, released in 2023, had great critical success, and he shows his preference for song rather than fame by releasing such a short and simple collection of songs. He knows that songs are king, not fiery productions or complicated, but epic themes. It’s a humble offering that will keep his fans captivated until the next time he releases a series of beautiful and melancholic tunes.

Clocking in at seven minutes and three seconds, a divine number if ever there was one, it covers angels and devils, relationships and loneliness, mountain dew and painkillers. You could say it pales in comparison to his self-titled album, but comparing the two works of art is something of a futile exercise. Mendez, who has been part of Philly’s DIY scene for many years, simply adds to the many songs that are indie catchy tunes and real heartwarmers. They probably won’t get the millions of plays that his breakthrough single “Maria” did, but I’m pretty sure some people will play this EP until the tape blares and the heart says, “I need more/oh.”

Order “First Time / Alone” by Greg Mendez HERE