Pic by Vanessa Heins
In the Official Video for the energetic indie rocker Karma by The Drew Thomson Foundation (from the self titled debut album), Drew Thomson is tapped out, monetarily that is. His car breaks down but his bank account is fresh out. He shops for a diamond ring for his girl but the hefty price is out of reach so, instead, he... you'll see. The song has self deprecating humor to be sure, a punchy kind of 90's college rock tone and sadness under and between the lines said with false bravado, “I’ve never been left out/I wouldn’t even know how.” The song also feels like a testament to surviving despite bad choices, "No money, that's never stopped me... dropped out of school, big fool".
Drew Thomson (Single Mothers) knows about bad choices and tough times after surviving a 10 year bout with substance abuse with the worst drug there is:
Thomson recently snapped out of a 10-year alcoholic spiral, battling his depression and the crippling anxiety of a life spent in front of crowds by drinking himself into oblivion. - (Press notes)
The journey is reflected on the new album, through and through. He is at the core as singer- songwriter / rocker on his musical project The Drew Thomson Foundation with help from former band mates and longtime collaborators:
Laying feelings bare on Thomson’s newfound sobriety, the death of a loved one, and pushing away people who he wants to keep closest, it welcomes listeners on his journey towards inner peace. - (Press notes).
The chorus on Karma is kind of heartbreaking. It is standing in the mirror and casting hard looks at yourself and realizing that you may be the biggest problem in your life. That is really the crux of anyone's life who is struggling. Instead of ruining the song (because of the repetitive nature of the chorus) by typing the lyrics out verbatim, the chorus comes down to this, "This should be easy... you just wanna love me... you just wanna". Clarity, it is like a bell ringing loudly in your ear, in your brain. Have you ever just pained for that one person who wants to, who does love you after doing something that is self destructive and pours all over them too?? Sweet jesus, It is a powerfully honest bit of fucking indie rock / pop.
The thing is we all fuck up, we all get older, we all move through the pain of leaving loved ones behind, of saying goodbye to them at funerals. Life is hard period. I can hear the wash of sadness beneath the track Karma and it makes me want to hear more and I will delve into the album further. I know real pain like many of you reading this brief review and I gravitate toward music that has the pulse of real life behind it, even told through indie rock songs that are totally crowd surf-able. Peace.
“Almost all of these songs started out on acoustic guitar in my bedroom, the same way I’ve been writing music since I was in grade seven,” says Thomson. “They’re more intimate and not something I’ve really shared this way before. Where Single Mothers songs can come from the perspective of a character that I play and put on, this band is more about who I am in my day-to-day life. It’s a lot more revealing of who I am now. I started playing music 10 years ago as a lost early 20s alcoholic. I’m now 33, sober, and still a mess but not quite a disaster.” - Drew Thomson
-Robb Donker Curtius
Side Notes- SEE TOUR DATES DOWN BELOW
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
The Drew Thomson Foundation’s self-titled debut album follows a period of self-reflection and rectification to reveal surprising new sides of its songwriter. Produced by Alex Newport (At the Drive-In, City and Colour, Frank Turner) in his Los Angeles studio, its recording sessions found the Single Mothers frontman joined by bandmates and longtime collaborators to cultivate a collection of vulnerable lyrics into vivid, hook-laden anthems. Laying feelings bare on Thomson’s newfound sobriety, the death of a loved one, and pushing away people who he wants to keep closest, it welcomes listeners on his journey towards inner peace. Thomson recently snapped out of a 10-year alcoholic spiral, battling his depression and the crippling anxiety of a life spent in front of crowds by drinking himself into oblivion. During a recording session, he recalls a moment when he was the only one in studio with a glass of wine and realized it had become a dependency. Never one to shy away from sad songs or flawed characters, where he says he finds “a lot of romance,” Thomson’s lyrics tell the tales of troubled narrators who may or may not be himself.
02/25/20 Tue PHOENIX, AZ - The VanBuren
02/26/20 Wed ALBUQUERQUE, NM - The Sunshine Theater
02/28/20 Fri HOUSTON, TX - White Oak Music Hall
02/29/20 Sat. DALLAS, TX - Canton Hall
03/01/20 Sun AUSTIN, TX - Emo's
03/02/20 MoN OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Tower Theatre
03/04/20 Wed OMAHA, NE - Waiting Room
03/05/20 Thu DENVER, CO - Ogden
03/06/20 Fri SALT LAKE CITY, UT -The Complex
03/08/20 Sun TACOMA, WA - Elks Temple
03/09/20 Mon SEATTLE, WA - Neptune
03/10/20 Tue PORTLAND, OR - Roseland
03/11/20 Wed EUGENE, OR - Sessions Music Hall
03/13/20 Fri. SACRAMENTO, CA - Ace of Spades
03/14/20 Sat SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The Regency
W/ Dashboard Confessional
05.24.20 Sun Vancouver, BC- Commodore Ballroom
05.25.2 Mon Edmonton, AB - Myer Horowitz Theatre
05.26.20 Tue Calgary, AB - Bella Concert Hall
05.28.20 Thu Winnipeg, MB - The Garrick
05.30.20 Sat Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
05.31.20 Sun Quebec City - QC - Impérial Bell
06.02.20 Tue Waterloo, ON - Maxwell’s Concerts
06.03.20 Wed London, ON - London Music Hall
06.05.20 Fri Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
06.06.20 Sat Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
06.07.20 Sun Oshawa, ON - The Music Hall
No comments:
Post a Comment