by alicia urrea
As springtime rolls in on the West Coast, indie singer-songwriter Alix Page emerges in full bloom with her newest EP titled Bug. Across all six songs on the project, there is delicacy in the way Page is lyrically intimate and allows her pen to spill over like a love letter (literally, and metaphorically). There’s a story written in each track, exploring the tenderness and complexities of falling in love with someone new.
Like the season of spring, Bug is transitional. It’s a contrast from her previous work on Goose, which was almost like a coming-of-age movie soundtrack. It was the perfect mixture of blazing alternative-indie production and crestfallen ballads, all while dissecting the complicated experiences of getting older; whether it was nostalgia for adolescent years, getting your heart broken by a first love, or the euphoria that comes with finding your other half, Page’s sophomore EP was the soundtrack to growing pains. With her third EP, we’re witnessing the continued metamorphosis of Alix Page — both in her artistic sound and in the personal life experiences that shape it. This time, the transformation feels softer and more sentimental, rooted in the lush emotions that come with new love.
A lot of the internet has coined the term “Lover era” to mean someone is infatuated with someone else, overall feeling dreamy and whimsical with a lust for life and a relationship (in reference to the open-hearted, glowy album by Taylor Swift). I feel it’s appropriate to say Bug is Page’s “Lover era,” especially since we were first introduced to this new aesthetic with the release of the first single, “Girlfriend.” Sitting as the second track on the EP, it’s a simple yet beautiful track that seems to encapsulate the entire project thematically. The lyrics discuss the intense stage of limerence, when you begin to experience intense emotions for someone and hope that those feelings are reciprocated. Page lays all her cards flat in this song, singing phrases like “I could be the caffeine waking you up / Just pour a little more of me into your cup / Yeah, I could be whatever you want” harmonizing alongside herself and a crisp acoustic guitar, faint percussion, and a subtle distorted electric guitar.
The placement of “Girlfriend” is interesting yet suitable, considering the track that comes before is called “Break The Band Up.” Whenever addressing the song on social media, Page has always poked fun at the fact that the title sincerely speaks for itself: the song is about breaking the band up. It’s a genuine favorite of mine if I had to choose one track on the EP. Though the lyrics are simplistic, they’re vulnerable. The instrumentals are also illuminating, almost as if they are highlighting and emphasizing Page’s plea in the chorus: “I would have loved you, but I just got tired of it / You put another hand up, I go and break the band up.” It’s additionally just an amazing juxtaposition, because a whole band is evidently playing with her although they are seemingly… broken up.
The third track is the cutest little thing… and the title track! “Bug” has taken on so many different meanings among her fanbase, which has been heartwarming to see. The song is as effortless as Page’s angelic vocals with some warm acoustic chords, addressing someone sensitively throughout the first verse: “Hey, Bug / How do you feel, Bug? / You know there’s nothing you should feel like you can’t tell me.” Many fans have taken to social media to share photos of themselves as kids using the first verse of “Bug” as the audio, empathizing with the lyrics in a way that feels like a love letter to their younger selves. Page herself has shared the same vulnerability with this title track and its announcement, even making the cover of the EP a baby photo of herself. She even took to Instagram to say: “[Bug] is a love song in lots of ways but it’s mostly for little tiny baby me.”
“Sweet” is the song that follows, which is another personal favorite of mine. Despite its bright instrumentation and enticing title, the lyrics are vastly blue. The chorus speaks for itself, taking accountability for a form of self-sabotaging in a relationship. Page sings about waking up and “starting problems,” sitting back and letting her partner solve every single one of them. She finishes off her openness by stating, “Did you ever get exhausted? / Of being nothing but sweet to me.” It’s the kind of song that will have you crying while you’re dancing. As someone who had heard this song live at Page’s headlining show in Santa Ana back in November, I was hypnotized by the upbeat music and the “sweet to me” motif. I never would’ve guessed how genuinely gloomy the lyricism would be. Nonetheless, it’s a mesmerizing track that showcases the difficulty that comes with recognizing faults in a relationship that might’ve been one-sided.
The last two songs — titled “Prank Call” and “Bb” (pronounced B flat) — are on the more somber side. “Prank Call” is definitely a relatable one to me, and feels like a manuscript of all of the thoughts I’ve ever had while in a relationship. “Prank Call” is the translation of anyone who has ever experienced abandonment anxiety. This song is so Phoebe Bridgers-esque, which gives such a wistful feeling for the older parts of Page’s discography. Though “Prank Call” is pessimistic about the future of this relationship, “Bb” is a stark comparison. This song is more hopeful about the longevity of this romance, though it keeps that stripped-back feel with its instrumentation. Similarly to “Bug” and “Prank Call,” it’s simply Page’s vocals with clean and soft acoustic guitar chords. The song shares some affectionate lines, including “Now your shirt's on my bedroom floor / Your hands around my waistline / I could do this for a long time / Can't even say goodbyе” in the fourth verse. “Bb” brings Bug full circle — instead of ending with heartbreak, it presents a small sense of longing and an intimacy that will linger for an indefinite amount of time.
Overall, Bug has effortlessly captured what it means to be lovestruck. Vulnerability is carefully weaved into each song, and it is proudly worn. Page has allowed herself to feel the spectrum of emotions of what it means to fall in love: it’s messy, it’s giddy, and it is comfortable, all at the same time. Bug may be her “Lover era,” but it is also an era for growth and maturity in womanhood and emotional intelligence. With this EP, Page essentially invites us to take a look into her diary, with some tender and personal thoughts spoken throughout. It has also unintentionally established her as an artist who isn’t necessarily afraid to be transparent and feel complex emotions, and instead turns those thoughts into art and into projects that can be absorbed sincerely.