Tommy and June - Tommy and June
Tommy and June have shown us that they are very capable of terrific harmonies
There is a mystery to Tommy and June. The duo was put together when Fat Wreck Chords founder Fat Mike decided that these two musicians had to be heard. We don’t really know much except that Fat Mike met Tommy in Israel and June on tour in South America. The duo has worked together to produce their first album revolving around the hesitation of growing up, and although a very short album, the boys still manage to get their point across. In saying this, I needed more.
The album has no shortage of harmonies, and most songs lean towards an acoustic sound which accompanies the harmonies well. This is best heard in "Lonely Train", "Adulthood", "Better Life Story" and "Young Man Bones". They all follow a similar pattern of not really having a certain structure, rather they just drift. "New Alive" is the song that stood out as having more of a standard song set up or build up. It has more of a hook and increases as it goes. "Adulthood" is the pivotal song in the album that explains their thoughts on growing up. Putting it simply, they don’t want to.
"Ghost Of Paris" is a short burst that wakes you up. With its fast pace and electric guitar, we see a punk side of Tommy and June. Even though it still falls in and out of the acoustic sound, it is a pleasant surprise to the album. "Black Maze" holds the same entertainment. It is heavier and has a back and forth singing between each other which is amusing. The electric guitar is louder and the drums are more prominent.
"Monogamist" was my favorite song of the album. The instrumentals remind me of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and features a wild west type of sound. But this song only just hits one minute! I want more! It just begins and at the same time, it is ending. It’s only giving me a preview of what they can produce. Give me more!
I can’t help but feel a little disappointed with this album. I always felt like something was missing from every song. I feel like this would be a good demo to preview your talents, but as a fully recorded album, it lacks excitement. I can’t picture a situation or mood I would choose to listen to this album over others. Music doesn’t always have to be overly complicated, it can be stripped back and use the simplest of chords, but it still needs to be entertaining. In this instance, less is more just wasn’t the case.
Tommy and June have shown us that they are very capable of terrific harmonies. They pair these harmonies with the plucking of the acoustic guitar and it works. Perhaps if the songs were a little longer they could have showcased more of what they are capable of. Tommy and June have been created based on the beliefs that their talents need to be heard, and with a backing like that, I’m sure they can prove that they are not just background music.
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