Greg Mendez Greg Mendez

For Greg Mendez, reflection doesnüft mean a static imagein a mirror, or even a face he recognizes. Itüfs more akaleidoscopic mirage, where paths taken shapeshift withthe prospect of paths untread, and the subconsciousmerges with the intentional. On his self-titled new album,the Philadelphia-based songwriter andmulti-instrumentalist investigates the shaky camera ofmemory, striving to carve out a collage that points to atruth. But there isnüft a regimented actuality here; instead,Mendez highlights the merit in many truths, and manylives, and how even the hardest truths can still containsome humor.While this is technically Mendezüfs third full-length album,his back catalog boasts an extensive range of EPs and liverecordings. Heüfs a prolific and thoughtful songwriter,understanding the joy in impulse, and shying away fromthe clinical sheen of overproduction. 2017üfs ügüP/ _(c)_ /üPüh and2020üfs Cherry Hell garnered acclaim for their quiet, lo-fiurgency, exploring themes of addiction and heartbreakwith an intentional, authentic haze, and itüfs this approachthat has solidified Mendez as a staple in the DIYcommunity for years.Greg Mendez was written in fragments, some stretchingacross more than a decade, with Mendez reworking oldideas and arrangements, and others blossoming muchmore recently. The weight of time..and perhaps theanxiety in running out of it..clouds the album, as Mendezprods at some painful experiences from his childhood andearly adulthood. The common thread connecting thecharacters is their evident imperfections, and the variousdegrees of damage they cause, both knowingly andunknowingly. But where do we draw the line between agood person and a bad person? For Mendez, itüfs neverbeen that easy.Greg Mendez is an intimate dialogue between thechapters weüfve experienced, and how they can inform thereality we perceive. Itüfs a reminder that we are constantlyshifting, ever-changing selves and that if we ruminate toolong, we may find...