Thomas J Marchant - How It Ends

Hear The Track Here

Opinions, as they say, are like assholes - everyone has one. Especially, it seems, when it comes to music and that's because, like traffic accidents, everyone sees it a different way. S'all about perspective. Take Thomas J Marchant, for example. There are times when I've not liked what he did, and other people leaped to defend him, and times when I've raved about his work and had people tell me I must be deaf. All of which goes to show that reviews really should be taken as they are intended - one persons view of it and no more. Where Thomas (a former Artist Of The Year btw) always scores is in his songwriting ability. Ever since he shucked off his electronica/experimental pose and picked up his guitar, Thomas has gained a great many fans and admirers for his highly individualistic style - not the least of them being yours truly.

For me, though, I've noticed that he seems to have really adopted lo-fi treatments for everything and frankly IMHO, some songs deserve better. Take, for example, How It Ends. Now when I say that Thomas has a very distinctive style, you had better believe it. A very identifiable vocal and instrumental sound, the kind you would know in an instant who it was. Add to that his innate need to push whatever boundaries he can find and you come up with some often quite strange music. It's in the way that Thomas marries this music with the thread of the vocal that has always appealed to me, and How It Ends is a great example of what I mean. Musically adventurous, but with some great lyrical twists and lines.

Where the track suffers from the lo-fi is - unfortunately - in the vocals and although it doesn't detract much from my enjoyment of this piece, the level drops are very prominent. Actually, it sounds as if it were being sung live, which it may well have been. In which case, it sounds good enough for the task at hand. Can't help wishing it was treated properly though. See that's the problem with being over-familiar with someone like Thomas J Marchant, I know what he is capable of when he's on a roll and - being totally spoiled by him - expect it every time. Unfair and unjust I know, but only after all, one man's opinion. As it happens, How It Ends is certainly one of the more adventurous tracks he has done in a while.

Excellent Alternative (in the truest sense). Highly Recommended.