Wisconsin Singer Songwriter Tom Thiel specialises in a sort of Acoustic Folk that would make many I Don't Hear A Single readers run for the hills. It isn't the type of thing that I would be listening to. I've heard so much of this sort of thing and albums start to get tedious after the third song. All a bit here is another song, sounds exactly like the last one.
But wait! There is far more to Mr Thiel than meets the eye. He does appear to be a bit of a Troubadour, but the songs are stories and have real depth. There are more than hints of Americana and paths towards Country, but all are done in an interesting enjoyable way.
There are also times when he breaks out and that is when the album gets particularly splendid. These Pop Rock moments are magnificent. Sunshine And Lemonade 2.0 is one such song, gentle, very Bruce Hornsby without the Piano. All enhanced by a great chorus.
The title track is a tip top song. The arrangement and additional instruments provide a much wider panorama and Thiel thrives in this splendour. It is a song that builds and builds without quite ever letting loose. Moody yet enthralling.
The real killer song though is Satellite. Wonderfully mixed by Marc Golde, the song morphs into a splendid climax with a driving rhythm accompanied by layered vocals that make the song so big. It is a magnificent affair and I'd love to hear much more in this direction.
Tom Thiel reminds me of Steve Earle at times, although the vocal is much clearer. In some moments, he comes across as, heaven forbid, Bono on U2's slower songs but without the earnest nonsense. Thiel definitely has stories to tell and he relates them really well.
You can listen to and buy the album here. You can find out more about Tom Thiel here.
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