Thomas J Marchant - Don't Ask, Don't Get

Hear The Track Here

I think it was with the Antennaheadz track Butterflies (August 2008) when I first noticed the metamorphosis happening to Maidstone's Most Likely Lad. Prior to that music coming from this quarter tended to be opaque, difficult and very experimental. Butterflies was the first track attributed to Thomas in his real name, and also Soundclick's introduction to his new musical persona; acoustic troubadour. I use that term specifically because although the basis of Thomas's oeuvre since then has been in this style it isn't folk - far from it. In fact, Thomas went and created his own little niche in which he has been enormously successful and is now, IMHO of course, one of the most original and striking musicians on Soundclick.

He is an incredibly difficult musician to pin down and describe which is why I generally don't try too hard, and if if was hard before, Don't Ask Don't Get just raised the whole wtf game to a different level. I've always admired musicians who take chances (even when they don't work) because that is the way to true originality, and Thomas J (in whatever guise he is in) has always tried harder than most. This track is a classic example of how different Thomas is so if you like your music soft and gentle, best not hang around here. If you like music that is 'like other things' then I'd do the same thing because this is unlike anything you have heard before and I'd be willing to bet on that.

And that intro? Chopsticks innit?? Don't Ask, Don't Get sees our intrepid hero doing a Bjork (I kid you not!) in a very, very quirky song that doesn't/shouldn't fit together, and yet does and delivers such musical kick in the pants in the outro build it purely forces you to play it again Sam (Ed: whotf is Sam?) Lyrics have always been a highspot with this songwriter and although the track doesn't really go anywhere lyrically special, it has some very expressive Oohs. Come on, you'd have to hear it to know what I was talking about so why don't you stop wasting time and go have a listen. You'll either turn green, shrivel up and die or you'll come away with a big smile and oooohhhs on your lips. What's to lose?

Highly Recommended (and original) Oddity.