For Lexie Roth, expressing both her light and dark sides isn’t a stretch anymore. Given her time as an actress (Joy, Chappaquiddick) as well as a private chef, her musical abilities seem like a natural extension of her creativity, especially with a father like Arlen Roth whose time with ‘60s and ‘70s legends like Bob Dylan and James Taylor, has no doubt trickled down the family tree.
Moving past an abusive relationship, Roth found her way out with the help of good friends and family who supported her through her struggle. Now, she uses her music as a way to help others find the strength to help themselves. This message of action and self-empowerment is seen in her video for “Drive,” where she brings her story to life in both painful yet uplifting ways.
On her record Move Me, Roth commands attention. She channels a hefty, yet mysterious, tone to her music. With some friends, including fellow actor Ezra Miller, Roth fills out the sound.
“Slow Down” goes from brash rock tune, to something more harmony-laden, and surging with synth lines, making a new wave wash almost immediately. The raw attitude in the lyrical and distorted content of the track makes for a powerful reflection of Roth’s real experiences. Whistles and bass provide chilling melodic bliss on “Downtown” where Roth takes a much more ambitious sense of rhythm and tone, and finds it paying off. Shifting gears, she takes the rounds of melodies in a more bouncy direction to give the track’s extended-run a lively burst of movement.
Joining softer melodies with loose riffs on “Drive,” Roth brings it all together in an ebb and flow style of writing with the riffs going from relaxed to hectic at the drop of a hat. The self-destructive lyrics mixed with the almost ghostly keys create a sad undertone that balances the track out emotionally as well. The heavy synths of “Move Me” cover the rollicking guitar in a supportive way to give them a calming sheen that would leave the guitar otherwise too panicky. Layering vocal line after vocal line, Roth is completely vulnerable and amplifies this sentiment. She even bursts into a racing rush at the end of the track that keeps moving right until the song’s peak.
On closer, “Hanging Around,” she pushes the sonic envelope furthest on both the overall arrangement and the way the song blooms in its dynamic later half. Her desperate lyrics over the jam finale speak to her time in toxic and damaging situations and finds her at her most passionate on record.
With a strong release like Move Me in Roth’s repertoire, there’s no doubt she’ll be surging ahead in the indie scene, but more important is the way she makes these messages so accessible and even just talking about them will hopefully help more people escape their abusive relationships. Roth’s music is spreading a powerful message and the consequences of that message will spread as her career does.
WANT TO HELP?
Start by getting in touch with any of the organizations listed below; they can point you to volunteer opportunities across the country.
Write to your favorite companies and ask them to support domestic violence programs with their philanthropic funds.
Be a source of support. Learn how to speak to and help friends, family members, or acquaintances who come to you with stories of violence.
Talk about it. Educate yourself about domestic violence and pass along the knowledge to friends and family. Things change much faster when we direct our energies to changing them.
Get Help with Family Violence (Canada)
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
American Bar Association Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence
Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence
Battered Women’s Justice Project
Child Welfare League of America
INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence
National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Domestic Violence Hotline
National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence (ALIANZA)
National Network to End Domestic Violence