While his name may suggest more people might be involved behind the scenes, Barbados-born LA-based artist Rex & The Rhythm is a one-person show putting his eclecticism front and center with his latest single, “Play My Guitar.” The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has come a long way since first falling in love with music hanging around “Electric Avenue” singer Eddy Grant’s studios. While he began his solo career in 2021, he shifted farther and farther away from what’s expected from an artist who came from Carib-pop and challenged himself stylistically.
Although not his first instrument, Rex picked up the guitar soon after learning how to play the drums, eventually exceeding his love for drumming if this song is any indication. Compared to previous music efforts that leaned into Carribean genres, “Play My Guitar” is a sun-washed indie love song unafraid to roll around in its rosy subject matter.
Injected with elements of hip-hop and pop, Rex moves between serenading rap verses and straight singing spotlights. His guitar remains the track’s driving force from start to finish, rarely putting it down despite other instruments coming in and out of rotation. But in the spirit of his reggae roots, the distinct sound of the guitar warrants so much attention that it makes sense Rex released a guitar-only version of the song.
Despite only starting his solo career at the start of the decade, Rex has the kind of experience that would take years for an artist with a similar catalog size to match. Having played in the band Cover Drive prior to their disbandment in the late 2010s, he practically grew up alongside music, whether it be learning the drums at nine years old or becoming Rex & The Rhythm after college.
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In his own words, “Play My Guitar” is when you’re “giving your everything, but being still taken for granted in a relationship.” Without a doubt, Rex is giving his all and then some, continually pushing himself out of his comfort zone and avoiding being trapped in a box by any means necessary.
Words: David Sosa
“Play My Guitar” by Rex & The Rhythm is out now on streaming services. For more on new music and potential shows, follow him on Instagram and his website.
