Arizona-based singer-songwriter Charlie Icon crafts an impeccable record with his latest EP, “Gas Station Nachos.” The EP’s title really subverts your expectations, because you half-expect irony, maybe a throwaway snack of a record, but Charlie’s release flips that expectation by delivering a lean and memorable late-night listen across four concise tracks.
After working in the spaces between country-rock and indie for a few years, Gas Station Nachos marks a change to a more urban alt-rock sound. Produced with Julianne Hope in Los Angeles, the EP favors intimacy and grit. It’s music for small hours, car speakers, and the hum of fluorescent lights at a roadside stop.
The record opens with “Holy Water,” a subdued invocation that sets the tone: voice first, production second. Icon’s delivery is raw but controlled, giving the impression of someone singing directly across a table rather than from a stage.
The title track, “Gas Station Nachos,” is the standout on this EP. With a clever bit of imagery in the line “Gas station nachos taste like five-star nights,” Charlie turns cheap food into a symbol of imperfect comfort and roadside romance. With its earworm chorus and the tone of a hopeless romantic, this is the song most likely to pull new listeners in.
“Fade” slows the pulse even further, leaning into atmospheric textures that make it the EP’s most reflective moment. It feels cinematic, almost like an interlude that lets the night air in. The record closes with “All These Years,” a string-backed number that brings the set to a mature finish, looking back on memory and longevity with quiet resonance.
At just over twelve minutes, the EP barely lets you settle before it’s done, but that brevity is part of its character. The project’s warmth and humanity amplify its ability to stick long after the last track ends. If there’s once criticism of this EP, it’s that we didn’t get more, and we can only imagine what Charlie could do with more adventurous production and a full-length statement.
Yet in its restraint, Gas Station Nachos feels intentional: a snapshot of where Charlie Icon is heading as he redefines his sound. For listeners looking to try something new, this release is a must-listen.