{{for|the song by Schoolboy Q|Habits & Contradictions}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox album | name = Oxy Music | type = studio | artist = Alex Cameron | cover = Oxy Music (Alex Cameron).png | alt = | released = {{Start date|2022|03|11|df=y}} | recorded = <!-- Do not add unsourced recording dates/years --> | studio = | genre = {{flatlist| * Soft rock<ref>{{cite web|last=Pudzianowski|first=Lydia|date=March 18, 2022|title=Alex Cameron, ''Oxy Music''|url=https://floodmagazine.com/104557/alex-cameron-oxy-music/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220612183507/https://floodmagazine.com/104557/alex-cameron-oxy-music/|archive-date=June 12, 2022|access-date=June 12, 2022|website=FLOOD Magazine}}</ref> }} | length = {{Duration|m=34|s=03}} | label = Secretly Canadian | producer = Alex Cameron | prev_title = Miami Memory | prev_year = 2019 | next_title = | next_year = | misc = {{Singles | name = Oxy Music | type = studio | single1 = Sara Jo | single1date = 17 November 2021 | single2 = Best Life | single2date = 20 January 2022 | single3 = K Hole | single3date = 1 March 2022 }} }} '''''Oxy Music''''' is the fourth studio album by Australian musician Alex Cameron, released on 11 March 2022 by the record label Secretly Canadian.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Corcoran|first=Nina|date=20 January 2022|title=Alex Cameron Announces New Album and Tour, Shares New Song "Best Life"|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/alex-cameron-announces-new-album-and-tour-shares-new-song-best-life-listen/|access-date=11 March 2022|website=Pitchfork}}</ref> Produced by Cameron himself, the album maintains his distinct storytelling style from the perspectives of various characters. Initially inspired by Nico Walker's autofictional novel ''Cherry'' (2018), ''Oxy Music'' primarily revolves around a fictional man grappling with the opioid epidemic in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 March 2022|title=Oxy Music by Alex Cameron|url=https://alkcm.bandcamp.com/album/oxy-music|access-date=11 March 2022|website=Bandcamp}}</ref> The album's release was preceded by the singles "Sara Jo",<ref>{{Cite web|last=Helfand|first=Raphael|date=17 November 2021|title=Alex Cameron gets back in character for "Sara Jo" |url=https://www.thefader.com/2021/11/17/alex-cameron-gets-back-in-character-for-sara-jo |access-date=11 March 2022 |website=The Fader}}</ref> "Best Life"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodsky |first=Rachel |date=20 January 2022 |title=Alex Cameron – "Best Life" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2173493/alex-cameron-best-life-oxy-music/music/ |access-date=11 March 2022 |website=Stereogum}}</ref> and "K Hole".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=David James |date=1 March 2022 |title=Alex Cameron falls into a 'K Hole' on third single from 'Oxy Music' |url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/alex-cameron-falls-into-a-k-hole-on-third-single-from-oxy-music-3172669 |access-date=11 March 2022 |website=NME}}</ref> Critically, the album has garnered generally favorable reviews.<ref name="MC" />
== Critical reception == {{Music ratings | ADM = 6.9/10<ref name="ADM">{{Cite web |url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/13198/Alex-Cameron-Oxy-Music.aspx|title=Oxy Music by Alex Cameron reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=20 March 2022}}</ref> | MC = 73/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/oxy-music/alex-cameron|title=Oxy Music by Alex Cameron Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=20 March 2022}}</ref> | rev1 = ''American Songwriter'' | rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|last=Zimmerman|first=Lee|date=March 15, 2022|title=Review: Alex Cameron Dares to be Defiant|url=https://americansongwriter.com/review-alex-cameron-dares-to-be-defiant/|access-date=20 March 2022|website=American Songwriter}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Clash'' | rev2score = 7/10<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Samantha|date=14 March 2022|title=Alex Cameron - Oxy Music|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/alex-cameron-oxy-music|access-date=20 March 2022|website=Clash}}</ref> | rev3 = ''DIY'' | rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="DIY">{{Cite web|last=Bell|first=Ryan|date=9 March 2022|title=Alex Cameron - Oxy Music review|url=https://diymag.com/2022/03/09/alex-cameron-oxy-music-album-review|access-date=11 March 2022|website=DIY}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Exclaim!'' | rev4score = 7/10<ref name="Exclaim">{{Cite web|last=Di Gennaro|first=Michael|date=10 March 2022|title=Alex Cameron Confronts Addiction with Care on 'Oxy Music'|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/alex_cameron_oxy_music_album_review|access-date=11 March 2022|website=Exclaim!|language=en-ca}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Mojo'' | rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="Mojo">{{Cite magazine|last=Aizlewood|first=John|date=April 2022|title=Alex Cameron – Oxy Music: Fourth LP from Australian Killers collaborator.|magazine=Mojo|issue=341|page=83}}</ref> | rev6 = ''NME'' | rev6score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="NME">{{Cite web|last=Woods|first=Cat|date=11 March 2022|title=Alex Cameron – 'Oxy Music' review: Conceptual synthpop that leaves you a little cold|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/alex-cameron-oxy-music-review-3180392|access-date=11 March 2022|website=NME}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev7score = 5.0/10<ref name="Pitchfork">{{Cite web|last=Kemp|first=Sophie|date=14 March 2022|title=Alex Cameron: Oxy Music Album Review|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/alex-cameron-oxy-music/|access-date=14 March 2022|website=Pitchfork}}</ref> | rev8 = ''The Skinny'' | rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|last=Davison|first=Bethany|date=7 March 2022|title=Alex Cameron – Oxy Music|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/alex-cameron-oxy-music|access-date=20 March 2022|website=The Skinny}}</ref> | rev9 = ''Uncut'' | rev9score = 7/10<ref name="Uncut">{{Cite magazine|last=Anderson|first=Jason|date=April 2022|title=Alex Cameron – Oxy Music: Sharp-witted yachtsman flays some new targets|magazine=Uncut|issue=299|page=25}}</ref> }} ''Oxy Music'' was released to a positive reception from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 73, based on 11 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".<ref name="MC" /> Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 6.9 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.<ref name="ADM"/>
Ryan Bell of ''DIY'' wrote, "Its steady pace and relatively tame nature (by his standards) means it might not be his most immediately striking release, but it's still testament to his talent as an astute alt-pop songwriter."<ref name="DIY" /> Michael Di Gennaro of ''Exclaim'' wrote, "''Oxy Music''{{'}}s greatest strength is that it makes the plight of an addict easy to understand and sympathize with, and may even help addicts who tune in feel less alone."<ref name="Exclaim" />
In a negative review, Sophie Kemp of ''Pitchfork'' criticized the album's production as being among the weakest in Cameron's career. Kemp also criticized its concept, writing, "More than anything, it takes on the quality of a short story written by a young student trying to cram as many neon lights, bongs, uzis, blow jobs, g-strings, and jokes into 10 pages as possible. For how clearly smart, ambitious, and upsettingly tuneful Cameron is, it’s a pity that he uses his talent for these exercises in sophistry, music that feels so vacuous and fleeting that it becomes one with the very modernity it seeks to lampoon."<ref name="Pitchfork" />
== Track listing == {{Track listing | all_writing = Alex Cameron, with contributions by Justin Nijssen, Roy Molloy, Lloyd Vines and Jason Williamson. | title1 = Best Life | length1 = 3:14 | title2 = Sara Jo | length2 = 3:02 | title3 = Prescription Refill | length3 = 3:31 | title4 = Hold the Line | length4 = 4:13 | title5 = Breakdown | length5 = 3:19 | title6 = K Hole | length6 = 3:30 | title7 = Dead Eyes | length7 = 3:30 | title8 = Cancel Culture | note8 = featuring Lloyd Vines | length8 = 3:33 | title9 = Oxy Music | note9 = featuring Jason Williamson | length9 = 6:11 | total_length = 34:03 }}
== Personnel == ;Performance * Alex Cameron – vocals, piano, keyboards, drum machine * Henri Lindström – drums, percussion * Justin Nijssen – bass, guitar, vocals * Lilah Larson – guitar, vocals * Jess Parsons – piano, keyboards, vocals * Roy Molloy – saxophone * Chris Pitsiokos – saxophone * Lloyd Vines – vocals * Jason Williamson – vocals * Jackie McLean – vocals
;Technical * Alex Cameron – production, recording * Justin Nijssen – additional production * Lilah Larson – additional production * Lauri Eloranta – drum recording * Kai Campos – mixing (all tracks) * Danny Trachtenberg – mixing (1) * Joe LaPorta – mastering
;Art * Jemima Kirke – cover photography * McLean Stephenson – cover photograph edit * Nick Scott – layout
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''Oxy Music'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Scotland|81|date=20220318|rowheader=true|access-date=19 March 2022}} |- {{album chart|UKIndependent|39|date=20220318|rowheader=true|access-date=19 March 2022}} |- ! scope="row"| US Top Current Album Sales (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/alex-cameron/chart-history/tcl/ |title=Alex Cameron Chart History: Top Current Albums |magazine=Billboard |access-date=24 March 2022}}</ref> | 99 |}
== References == {{reflist}}
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Category:2022 albums Category:Alex Cameron (musician) albums Category:Secretly Canadian albums Category:Fiction about substance abuse