Alex Thomen isn’t the kind of artist you can easily pin down. Trained as a composer, he has written everything from cinematic trailer music to intimate solo piano pieces, and now he’s dropped a satirical rock single that feels both timely and timeless.

“Where Did They Go Wrong?” is sharp, funny and just a little bit tragic. It’s a song that digs into the irony of people you once knew taking turns you never would have expected.

Listen here:

The track tells three separate stories. Danny, the shy kid who once struggled with confidence grows up to call himself an “alpha male,” parroting the worst parts of the manosphere. Carly, once a smart and ambitious classmate, ends up trapped in the hollow grind of MLM sales. Michael, the med school hopeful who once dreamed of helping the sick, turns to alternative medicine and pseudo-science.

None of these characters are real, but they all feel familiar, like faces you’ve seen online or stories you’ve overheard. That’s part of what makes the song sting.

Where the lyrics cut, musically Thome leans more into the irony. The verses build like a setup – soft and reflective, before snapping into the punchline with bigger energy and more biting lyrics. It sounds almost like stand up comedy but filtered through piano driven rock. You can hear his classical music training in the way that the song shifts gears without losing any momentum, and you can hear also his love of satire in the how those gears shift.

The recording itself is a patchwork of places and players. Drums were tracked in New York by Aaron Walters, piano in Denver at Colorado Sound Studios, guitars were recorded in Nashville by Ryan Casey, bass from Tim Dolquist in Thomen’s own studio and vocals at home. Joe Costa, who is best known for his work with Ben Folds, pulled it all together in the mix. It sounds locked in and very much like a band who have been playing together for years.

Then there’s the video. Directed by Chase Bartholomew, it doubles down on the “live” feel.

Shot simply, with Thomen at the piano, the visuals rely on body language and facial expressions to carry the irony. It’s subtle but very effective. The video becomes the stage and the camera catches the small details that drive this satire home.

Overall, these are not just wild caricatures. “Where Did They Go Wrong?” resonates because of how close it cuts to reality. These are believable people shaped by the cultural trends swirling around us and Thoman holds up a mirror to it. The humor softens the critique, but the critique is still there clear as day.

It’s clever, musically strong and is the kind of song that you will remember. You probably even know a Danny, a Carly or a Michael yourself.

Keep up with Alex Thomen on his Website

Stream music on Spotify and Apple Music