ALBUM REVIEW: Tom Baxter
- Posted on March 12, 2008 5:43 PM
- 0 comments
TOM BAXTER
Skybound
Sylvan Records/EMI
Review by Peter Coulston
I reviewed the next single to be taken from this album last week, and reserved judgement on it with the excuse that I would like to hear the whole album. My editor obviously gives more than a cursory glance to my submissions, as the album arrived in my mailbox on Friday. So here we are. I must say that I am not disappointed, but then I have reviewed Tom Baxter before, most recently last October in the Soho Review Bar. I was impressed by his live set, and am blown away by the complexity and diversity of this album.
Tom Baxter’s way with a song is to start off simple, build it up, and then remind us of where it all began. Most of the tracks on this album do that, which is why I do not see most of them as single material. The album opens with the jazzy, laid back “A Night Like This” followed by his first excursion into latin and gypsy themes with dark folky overtones on the title track. So early into the album and there is a lot going on already, so “Better”, the single released last year and used in the film Run Fat Boy Run, gave us some breathing space. Next up is “Tell Her Today”, the single that had me pondering.
This album version is 6 minutes long and has the time that Tom needs to develop it as he does. I enjoyed this version more, and would not personally pick it for use as a single. “Miracle” is a brilliant ballad with faultless melody and lyrics. “The Last Shot” is upbeat with a pop/rock feel that makes it commercial enough to be a single, while “Tragic” is almost an anthem with its simple keys, bass and drums erupting into frenzied electric guitar before returning us to land. “Half a Man” is a master class in tortured love ballads with the expected Baxter build up; an awesome experience when played live. “Icarus Wings” goes a bit Spanish again while “Light Me Up” is a bright, keys and strings assisted acoustic ballad that, at four and a half minutes, could easily be a very effective single. That is assuming that Tom Baxter should be bothering with singles at all; with albums like this why bother. This one is a must have and I am not sure that the single will serve to give it the attention it deserves. So take it from me, go out and buy it.
Single - Tell Her Today is out 17 March.
Related links:
Tom Baxter concert tickets.
Tom Baxter official site.
Tom Baxter MySpace.
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