The Toms - Tomplicated

 

Tommy Morolda will be forever remembered for that 1979 debut album and I fully understand that to a point. The self titled album from The Toms is one of the great Guitar Pop albums, it unleashed a lot that followed it and few realised that it was just one man behind it.

Considering it was 1979, recorded over a weekend in a home studio and the technology available at the time, all the applause is more than deserved. But Morolda hasn't been idle since, indeed he has been involved with plenty of high profile artists and now we have a new album and its great.

It does sound a bit 1979, but that's no drawback, far more than a handful have and continue to build careers on similar material. But what they don't have is the inventiveness and sheer hooks and arrangements that is present here.

Contained within Tomplicated are journeys into Power Pop, Psych Pop, New Wave and more genres that end with Pop, while essentially being very Beatles 1978 based. Beginners should go straight to the title track to get a feel of what Marolda is about and progress from there. 

It is a wonderful song and my only complaint is that it ends too soon. There are loads of similar treats such as the Toytown Beat Pop of You Shot Me Out Of Your Canon and the 70s Pop Rock of Marathon. Whatever has a wonderful arrangement.

Hang On could be Jigsaw, The World Is Flat is in Orgone Box territory and Sunday Clothes is great California Pop. Daylight Wasting Time is an a storming slab of 60s Psych Pop and Three is bass driven Glam Rock of the highest order that turns into Jeff Lynne Psych.

16 songs is a lot of material, yet the quality and listening pleasure never ever drops. Special mention too to Futureman Records who have had another storming year. Tomplicated is a wonderful listen and others who do roam in this territory could learn a thing or two about originality.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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