There’s Alex Cameron, and then there’s Alex Cameron. The Sydney-born singer-songwriter is part-man, part-persona; an internet-age, verbal hoodlum as smitten with 4chan humour as he is his own background as a surly, hack musician, as much a has-been as he is a never-was.
The man behind the persona is an expert songwriter, so illustrious he has written songs for artists far more popular than those of the indie sphere Cameron more-or-less belongs to. The best of his own albums – including Forced Witness and Miami Memory – showcase Cameron’s ability to apply his talent for the benefit of world-building relating to said persona.
Late to Set retains, albeit sparingly, the assets of this persona. Amid an animated vocal melody and a few Kraftwerk synth builds, he introduces himself on No Soldier via “I put on a ton of weight for a role I didn’t get”. Amid a glam / old rock n roll bassline, he laments his status as a placeholder lover on Stand-in Man, cheekily but sincerely.
His persona is that of a provocateur, which has often reared an ugly head, particularly when the character’s agenda is testing the faults of “cancel culture”. He doesn’t call anybody a homophobic epithet on Late to Set (unlike Marlon Brando from Forced Witness), but he is, at times, lazily edgy. He lists ‘Jesus never did this, Jesus never did that’ on Jesus Never Had No Porno, for the basic ploy of irreverence. Christianity + pornography might get a chuckle out of some, but my eyes rolled, and now I have asthenopia.
As opposed to previous albums, there is only one song on which Alex actually tries to join in on a culture war, that being Statue Down. The song is detailed enough to not appear foolish, choosing a ‘funnies section’ or satirical newsletter approach to viewing the line between genuine outcry and performative outcry, which might feel medicinal for some, alongside its jolly, singalong vocal melodies. I love the line about 3D printing a guillotine.
Statue Down is indicative of Cameron’s unwillingness to pass up on a gag. The baseline narrative of protestors attacking statues is not necessary in 2026, but Alex – the real person and the character – needs to amuse himself for a sense of relief, perhaps as a defence mechanism to cope with the album’s personal themes.
Testosterone in Blue and Violent Man are each long, sensitive stares at masculinity. Ricochet notes how even the unsuspecting will get caught up in the storm of a relationship’s end. Red Hook Rain dances with that same storm in a stirring, late-tracklist blowout, drunk on familiar chords that’ll get any listener on Alex’s side – it’s no Divorce (Miami Memory), but it is pure, down-to-earth and loveable.
Given the real place these songs come from – which may very well spread to Alex’s provocations and works of on-surface fiction – it’s determinable that Late to Set is Alex Cameron’s most ‘himself’ album. The damages of his character’s fucked-up behaviour are viewed through a reflective, author’s lens, and there’s something sweet about that. He’s being Alex Cameron, not Alex Cameron.
Best tracks – Stand-in Man – Red Hook Rain.
Weakest track – Jesus Never Had No Porno.
Rating – 7 out of 10
