Kevin Bronson on April 22nd, 2015

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Massachusetts-born Alexa Melo is only 20, but the singer-guitarist sounds like she’s been through the wars. And she has, in a manner. Signed to a major label as a precocious teen, Melo was passed from producer to producer to producer before finding a sonic ally in Christian James Hand (who produced the Mowgli’s). Now “emancipated” from her label deal, Melo will release her self-titled debut June 2, and it’s a far cry from the straight-up pop her handlers envisioned when they signed her. At their most direct, Melo’s songs recall some of the strongest voices of the 1990s (and, currently, artists like Meg Myers), but her palette extends beyond mere angsty-anthems. Much of the album —  which began with Melo’s own ProTools recordings — reflects her stated influences of Radiohead, Bjork, Portishead, Jack White and Pink Floyd, and her guitar-playing abilities, as well as her vocal stylings, live up to her sonic ambitions. A highlight is the song “Bleach,” which has its roots (so to speak) in one music executive’s infatuation with wanting Melo to change her hair color. “The brainwashing and manipulating that occurs in the media and entertainment business and how easily your true colors can fade if it successfully breaks down your spirit,” she says. “It’s about mustering up the courage to not conform and pave your own way.”

||| Stream: “Still Right Here”

||| Live: Alexa Melo winds up a residency at Club Moscow at Boardner’s tonight.