Popular American soccer player
makes ‘Ginger’ musical debut
The first single will be the
album’s first track,
‘GoodNigbt Moon ’
By Michael Hines
Editor in Chiet
As a general rule, athletes and
music don't mix.
Who remembers Deion
Sanders’ pathetic try? Or the
Trailblazers’ “Rip City Rap City”
tune?
Now the red-headed American
soccer star Alexi Lalas is giving
his cleats the boot (for the mo
ment) and strapping on a guitar.
His first album, “Ginger,” was re
leased Sept. 15.
Unlike his athletic predeces
sors, Lalas actually has musical
talent. The New York/New Jersey
MetroStars defender has been
planning a musical career since
childhood, and his first foray into
the biz is quite good, especially
considering that he produced his
own album.
Lalas, an unusual defender
who often scores with his head,
carves out a distinctive sound.
The album, in which Lalas
sings and plays guitar, is no-frills.
There are few sound effects.
Lalas opts to keep his songs
stripped down to guitar, drums
and vocals.
The first single off the album,
“GoodNight Moon,” is also the
first track on the album. “Good
Night Moon” establishes Lalas’
sound — a medium-paced ride
over the lyrics. It's like skiing
down Bachelor — the ride is soft
and swift, but you can feel the
ups and downs.
The album’s lyrics aren’t amaz
ing, but they are solid. They
avoid falling into the meaning
less drivel Bush or Oasis try to
pass off as poetry.
Lalas never sings about soccer
directly, but he does seem to al
lude to his fame now and then.
For example, on the fourth track,
“Pop School,” Lalas sings, “Gotta
make the grade but I’m failing
image 101/teacher says I got no
style and something has to be
done/there’s radio and video and
how to look really bored/and
where to go in Timbuktu when
you need to score." It’s hard to
believe the same man who got
his long, red goatee trimmed by
David Letterman could have self
image problems, but Lalas’ songs
do have a darker edge to them.
Turn to LALAS, Page 14D
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