Alex Melton Releases New Single “Seventeen” Taken From New Album “Southern Charm” Out 27th January 2023 Via Pure Noise Records

The Florence, SC-based multi-instrumentalist Alex Melton, known for his renditions of Punk Songs as country influenced songs, has released new song and video, a cover of Four Year Strong's “Seventeen”. The single is taken off the recently announced new album “Southern Charm” which is out 23rd January 2023, and is Alex's debut album on label Pure Noise Records.

Speaking about the single Alex said: “The moment I heard this chorus, I knew this was going to become one of my favorite Four Year Strong songs. These guys wrote a rowdy love letter to their youth, complete with a monster guitar riff right in the middle of everything. Working with Alan Day (of previously mentioned FYS) on this cover was a pretty surreal moment for me; he was very gracious and took the time to give his own song a thoughtful and intricate treatment. We took that amazing chorus guitar hook and spread it over a plethora of different instruments, while transforming the brash energy of the original verses into contemplative reminiscences. Top it off with huge chorus harmonies, and you got a hit”.

“Southern Charm” is made up of two halves, amped-up versions of country classics and Alex's trademark alternative spin on punk and metal tracks. The album synthesises all of Melton’s influences, from the country staples played on a loop in his childhood home through scene icons like blink-182, The Starting Line, A Day to Remember and Four Year Strong. In the first half of “Southern Charm” it includes covers of Tim McGraw’s nostalgic “Something Like That” (ft. Ryan Scott Graham) and Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places'' the second half offerings come from The Story So Far, The Amity Affliction and Stick To Your Guns.

Proficient on drums, guitar, bass, keyboards, and trumpet, Melton typically produces all of his YouTube covers at his home studio, a testament to his insatiable desire for knowledge and self-improvement – and a snapshot of how far he’s come as an artist and recording engineer throughout the years. “All of the technology has changed so much since I first started” he says, noting his first video was a pop-punk cover of Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”. “I started with a Home Recording for Dummies book and an original GoPro, which at the time was the cheapest way to get HD footage on YouTube”.

Now armed with vastly more knowledge and resources, “Southern Charm” finds him working with outside producers for the first time, bringing in Tom Denney (A Day to Remember, who helmed the rock-based country covers) and Alan Day (Four Year Strong, who produced the country-based rock songs) to offer new perspective and add a level of vision and cohesion to the project.