Now I am impressed, Sir...
Sandy | Brussels, Belgium | 10/09/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is no background music; you will have to listen to what he says and check the lyrics in the booklet. The melodies (acoustic guitar enriched with other discreet instruments) are up to the words quality, proving that 'a boy with a guitar' is not necessary boring. This is a real singer songwriter in the line of Bob Dylan, Paul Simon or Springsteen. I did not mention yet his great expressive voice - here Jeff Buckley's comparisons sound right to me, even if I rather think both guys have their own talent and personality.A solo artist had not impressed me for a while as Tom did. The live tracks of the bonus CD (that came with the French limited edition I own) are impressive, and testify he is as well an excellent performer, capable of captivating the public with his work. You know, the kind of artist you listen in silence, because screaming or even singing along would sound so out of context. I find it difficult to point out favorites; each song touches me in a way or another. Maybe the strange 'murder ballad' "You cut her hair", the evident "End of the world news", the jewels "Bloodless" and "Hidden camera show", the touching "Draw down the stars" or the 'soft'n'furious' "The boy with the bubblegun"... I cannot choose really.Some of those songs are almost 'autistic': they describe one's uneasiness about living in an urban context, about living under strangers eyes who judge you without knowing you, and accept blindly their comfortable beliefs and habits. They also express the will to escape a written fate, or rather, the hesitation between believing in destiny and fighting against it. You're not getting out without scars, but those somber melodies bring out a curious joy. Maybe the joy people feel when they find their first gold nugget. If I were you, I would start digging now..."
Lyrics to listen to supported by excellent compositions
Sandy | Brussels, Belgium | 10/03/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In the booklet of this French edition (including a bonus CD with 5 live tracks), Tom writes: "For me music is about communicating, it's a conversation between the maker and the listener and when it works it transcend the barriers of language, race, religion, and all you hear is the songs. When I was writing this album, I hoped one day to share it with people who understand." I think he did. This is no background music; you will have to listen to what he says and check the lyrics in the booklet. The melodies (acoustic guitar enriched with other discreet instruments) are up to the words quality, proving that 'a boy with a guitar' is not necessary boring. This is a real singer songwriter in the line of Bob Dylan, Paul Simon or Springsteen. I did not mention yet his great expressive voice - here Jeff Buckley's comparisons sound right to me.A solo artist had not impressed me for a while as Tom did. The live tracks of the bonus CD are impressive, and testify he is as well an excellent performer, capable of captivating the public with his work. You know, the kind of artist you listen in silence, because screaming or even singing along would sound so out of context. I find it difficult to point out favorites; each song touches me in a way or another. Maybe the strange 'murder ballad' "You cut her hair", the evident "End of the world news", the jewels "Bloodless" and "Hidden camera show", the touching "Draw down the stars" or the 'soft'n'furious' "The boy with the bubblegun"... I cannot choose really.Some of those songs are almost 'autistic': they describe one's uneasiness about living in an urban context, about living under strangers eyes who judge you without knowing you, and accept blindly their comfortable beliefs and habits. They also express the will to escape a written fate, or rather, the hesitation between believing in destiny and fighting against it. You're not getting out without scars, but those somber melodies bring out a curious joy. Maybe the joy people feel when they find their first gold nugget. If I were you, I would start digging now..."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1