Fresh off of Alex being voted Rookie Female Artist of the Year, the band being voted Rookie Band of the Year, and their single Cozy being nominated Song of the Year on HUGS Radio, this hybrid band from Western Washington State has recorded their first full length album.
An eclectic blend of rock, pop, folk, country, R&B, and rockabilly; If You're Even Listening contains 13 fantastic, interesting, and memorable tunes written by Patrick Storedahl and arranged by the band.

Reviewed by Harry Kaplan for Twangri-La

Alex Blum And The Roadside Quartet have challenged us to see “If You’re Even Listening” to their newest full length album. In the last three years, Alex Blum and company have been busy. This outfit from southwest Washington has put out some great music. Yes, it was COVID time and there wasn’t anything else happening but the band was hard at work releasing singles, EPs, and full length albums. This is their follow up to the February, 2021 EP, “Talk Amongst Yourselves”. The band’s primary songwriter, Patrick Storedahl, has written 13 great songs on “If You’re Even Listening” that I would categorize as a cross between 70s rock and roll and 80s and 90s style jangle/dream pop. The bands that come to mind when listening, as a benchmark, are Fleetwood Mac, Mazzy Star, and Aimee Mann. Very solid songs that are pure ear candy.

Here is the full band lineup: Alex Blum – vocals; Ted Clark – drums, percussion; Patrick Storedahl – guitars, keys, percussion, backing vocals; Douglas Blum – bass, percussion, backing vocals; Peter Jansen – electric guitars, recording, mixing, producing.

I first became aware of Patrick about five years ago because I have had the pleasure of reviewing a fair amount of his solo material. It’s all fabulous. He is one of those rare individuals that can write, sing, and record. I know that anything Patrick is involved with is going to be good. And this is no exception. As I listen, I am astounded by the quality of the songs, the lead and backup vocals, the instrumentation, and the production value of the release. These guys and girl get it. Their sound is as professional as it gets. But it isn’t over done. They also understand that discipline is key and adhere to the adage “less is more”.

If you want a song right out of the box that has an absolutely infectious groove that is highly contagious, looks no further than Devil’s Playground. From top to bottom, this song is pure rock/pop joy. Alex’s vocals are delivered flawlessly and there is such a gorgeous quality to her voice that you just cannot get enough. It’s like the best Vegas buffet, you know you shouldn’t go back for thirds, but you just can’t help yourself. At least with Devil’s Playground, there is no downside and no regrets. The backing vocals and instrumentation round out this track beautifully. Patrick’s writing again delivers. If this were a baseball game, it would equate to a home run. This is a song about sometimes doing the wrong thing. Nothing too drastic, just not always following the angel on your shoulder and sometimes succumbing to the little devil.


Reviewed by Tom Haugen for Take Effect Reviews:

A quintet from Washington state with a penchant for rock, folk, country, R&B, pop, and even rockabilly, Alex Blum & The Roadside Quartet make quite an impression with these diverse and energetic 13 tracks.

“Just Me And You” gets the listen off to a very cozy start, where Blum’s expressive pipes and Patrick Storedahl’s melodic acoustic guitar guide the folk-pop climate, and “Devil’s Playground” follows with a thicker presence that benefits much from Peter Jansen’s electric guitar and the playful backing vocals.

Halfway through, “A Bit Of Hope” showcases Ted Clark’s agile drumming amid the dreamy singing that welcomes R&B nods, while “Misfortune” recruits a glowing intimacy that makes great use of Douglas Blum’s strategic bass.

Close to the end, “Ocean”, one of the busier tunes, blends the crisp drums with spirited guitar and smooth singing, and “Hell Or Heaven” exits the listen with a hint of country into the multifaceted and powerful finish.

An excellent first album, the always fertile Pacific Northwest scene rarely disappoints, and anyone with an ear for folk-rock, alt-country or indie-rock will find much to enjoy from Blum and company.