Everclear frontman Art Alexakis is giving listeners an unfiltered glimpse into his world at the moment on his debut single “The Hot Water Test,” available exclusively on Billboard below.
As the first single from his upcoming solo debut album Sun Songs, “The Hot Water Test” serves as a reintroduction to Alexakis that immediately addresses the singer-songwriter’s mental space in 2019. Following a statement in March that revealed his years-long battle with multiple sclerosis, Alexakis uses his unreserved, transparent lyricism to confront his diagnosis on a rugged track that feels equally familiar and progressive for the artist.
“The reason I call it ‘The Hot Water Test’ is because back in the early part of the 20th century, doctors would diagnose MS by putting their patients into super-hot water and wait for them to start showing symptoms,” Alexakis tells Billboard. “It was pretty barbaric and miserable, and just one example of the kind of experiences that people with MS, autoimmune diseases, cancer or for that matter any debilitating disease, have to deal with all the time. Sometimes it feels like every day is a hot water test.”
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No stranger to the straightforward confessional, the alternative rock mainstay behind similarly forthcoming singles “Father of Mine” and “Wonderful” is a master at delivering weighty personal truths with inviting hooks and an admirable sincerity. His painstaking effort to reclaim his identity and sense of self is perhaps best encapsulated by the line at the song’s climax when Alexakis mulls over “teaching myself a new way to live my life,” and as his first step on his solo journey, “The Hot Water Test” proves that he’s on the right track.
Sun Songs is due Oct. 11 via The End Records/BMG. Alexakis will also embark on an October tour that coincides with the album’s release, with dates listed below the jump.
Check out “The Hot Water Test” exclusively on Billboard below.
Tour dates:
Oct. 8 — Evanston, IL @ Space
Oct. 9 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock Cafe
Oct. 10 — Boston, MA @ City Winery
Oct. 14 — Manchester, UK @ Night & Day Café
Oct. 15 — Norwich, UK @ Epic Studios
Oct. 16 — London, UK @ O2 Academy Islington
Oct. 18 — Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast
Oct. 19 — Birmingham, UK @ Actress & Bishop
Oct. 20 — Dublin, IE @ The Sound House