Lexi Cardenas has long been a force to be reckoned with in Austin music, both as a member of anthemic indie pop ensemble Messages and in her solo shows, where she uses her violin and looping pedals to sound like a one person orchestra. But on her new single “Sweet Desire,” Lexi and her band the Bleached Roses show off a knack for heartbreakingly raw and intimate songwriting. The simple beat and full acoustic guitar frame Cardenas’ secretive vocals perfectly, giving the song a subtle tension that’s further augmented by Cardenas’ plucked violin rift and the melancholic bowed chords it transforms into. Cardenas’ lyrics are devoted to rejecting other people’s notions of what you can and cannot be but the sorrowful melody make it clear that that bravery and courage to stay true to yourself brings with it considerable cost, making the song far more powerful than a generic “just be you!” anthem. Check it out for yourself, then come out to Sidewinder on Saturday, July 22nd for Lexi Cardenas and the Bleached Roses’ album release show with Born Again Virgins and more!
