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If you could get the Dirty Three to play Brechtian folk songs arranged by Tom Waits with Bob Dylan’s devil conscience delivering the vocals, backed up by an army of brooding angels, you’d probably be somewhere near the musical junkyard where Tom Woodward put together his latest offering, Roadside Crosses.
The second full length LP from the ex-Canberran songwriter is a grittier and more dynamic work than 2007’s melancholic folk album, Blue Day Requiem. It is a record that commands attention, seducing the listener with narrative tales of sex, politics, murder, revolution and of course, a bit of old fashioned love & longing. To be listened to at a loud volume (and preferably in one sitting), Tom wrote most of the songs whilst touring the country in late 2007 and early 2008.
He says: “I was sleeping on couches - catching planes, trains and buses, half the time at gigs or people’s houses, most of the time completely broke. Wandering the streets of major cities with no food, no money, nothing to do but wander… My imagination went into fifth gear.â€
After ten months of touring, Tom moved to Melbourne, effectively ending his nomadic existence. Label buddy and one-time touring partner Justin Grounds suggested he drop by his house and record some of his new songs at Justin’s makeshift studio in his backyard apartment. Seven days later the two emerged with Tom’s new album.
“Justin was concerned less with the sound technicalities and more with the feel of the songs. He added the organ and violin parts which create the spooky backbone of the record.†says Tom.
The album features Yen Nguyen (Casual Projects), Andrew Dalziell (Mirrormen / The Henchmen), James Nichols (The Henchmen/Brackets), Tiana Morrison and Justin Grounds. It was mixed and engineered by Justin Grounds and mastered by John Ruberto at Crystal Mastering.
“It is an album full of individually powerful songs, but it works best in its entirety. It harks back to a time before Itunes and mp3s... when you listened to side one first,†says Tom.
Born in Canberra, Tom grew up in a musical household. Leonard Cohen, Joan Armatrading, Van Morrison, Marianne Faithful, The Doors, David Bowie & Otis Redding were just some of the artists that made up the soundtrack of his childhood, and have all become embedded in the creative psyche that he routinely pillages for his own music.
Roadside Crosses was released locally in Melbourne at the Evelyn on November 27th, and is available at shows and the listed records stores below, as well as digitally on Itunes .
TOM WOODWARD'S ALBUMS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING STORES:
Melbourne:
Polyester Records, 387 Brunswick St, Fitzroy. (03) 9419 5137
Pure Pop Records, 221 Barkly St, St Kilda. (03) 9525 5066
Basement Discs, 24 Block Pl, Melbourne CBD. (03) 9654 1110 Polyester Records, 288 Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD (03) 9663 8696
Canberra:
Landspeed Records (02) 62489220
Check out Tom Woodward's Triple J profile here
send an SMS to triple j on 1975 7 555 and request a song by TOM WOODWARD and say your name
Management: Tiana Morrison, Bayonet Records.
Contact : [email protected]