I’ve been catching up on my interests in Country music over the past few months and listening to a lot of new releases like The Felice Brothers, O’Death and the best of last year’s albums with Octoberman. I’ve also investigated David Eugene Edward’s career since Sixteen Horsepower with his Woven Hand project and managed to hear his band before 16HP, the Denver Gentlemen. So, a lot of good stuff has passed through my ears recently. However, none of these commercially available albums can compare to the impact that has been made on me by 15 tracks I downloaded from Tom Leach’s webpage (since I already have the Seven Songs EP I missed out 4 of the possible downloads). They just get better every time I listen to them.

So my self-created album “More Tom Leach” is 51 minutes long and covers unreleased oldies, some tracks from Homemade/Handmade which isn’t available, and some new rough mixes of songs destined for “Macon” (Macon, Georgia is mentioned by Tom as his next project). Obviously these are recordings with a few rough edges but that adds to their charm.

It covers the period from the Tom Leach album (was that around 1997?) to the present day. The earlier songs are just as fine as those on that first album and each tells a story. Call Waiting sounds just like the sort of song Johnny Cash would have have sung when he first went on the Sun Records tours. I’m Not A Cowboy, No I Ain’t is a gem where Tom points out that cowboys don’t cry and don’t need anyone.

The next album is obviously going to be great. judging by the preview songs on here. There was something about one of these songs that made me go to the Internet for a good search. I was looking for references to Ida Mae but apart from a reference to a Lightnin’ Hopkins I found nothing. I had assumed it was one of the classic Country songs being covered and re-interpreted. I promised myself that I won’t underestimate Mr Leach again.

Ida Mae by Tom Leach

The final track of the album (in alphabetical filename order) is an unreleased song from around 2001. Called I Know Time, it is one of the most perfect miserable songs about the inevitable loss of love. It is almost malevolently sad with its slow, relentless pace. While listening, I found that the vibrato in Tom Leach’s voice led to me thinking of Michael Stipe (also from Georgia). I’m not going to hold my breath, but I do think that if Michael and REM work really hard for the next ten years then they may come up with a song as good as this. At least it gives them something to aim at.

I Know Time by Tom Leach

Tom Leach’s MP3 page

November
New Breed by Various Artists
The Great Leap by Phideaux
Nails by Seven Years On

October
The EP by A Genuine Freakshow
Life, Death And The Absurdity Of Being by Num
King Furnace/Fourth Chamber live at The Cellar Bar Oxford.
February Snow by Fell City Girl.

September
Annie’s Well by Luxury Car.
Drop The Decade by Shut Your Eyes And You’ll Burst Into Flames.
Every Weekend by Dun 2 Def.
They’ve Got Nothing On You by Paul Wilkes.
Demo by From The Shards Of Comets!.
Big Iron World by Old Crow Medicine Show.
Refugee Blues by Chris Volpe.
Carla’s Song by Harmacy.
Necessary Evils by Mach Schau.
Champagne Lifestyle by The Energy.

August
A New Career by Karma Pilot.
Baggage/Vesuvius by The Scaramanga Six.
Backstabber by The Dresden Dolls.
Introstay by Years Around The Sun.
The View From Above by The Sun-Ups.
The Studiofix Will Change Your Life by Studiofix.
Into The Woulds by Federales.
Songs For The Atco Ghost by Canadian Invasion.
A Clean Incision by The Reverse.
Fallen by Vib Gyor.
Let The Girls Know by The Proof.
Total Punk Rock by Various Artists.
Featuring tracks by Battleska Galactia, Junkster, and The Poor Kids With Guns.
Dammit, Eat Your Pudding by Fallopian.
Regarding Your Request For Closure by Crawling With Kings.
Broken Gold by The Distants (on Blogcritics).
Winter Collection 2005 by Daniel Vincent.
Supersonic by The Voodoo Jets.
Different Like Everybody Else by Cardboard Radio.

July
7 Song Tape by Tom Leach.
Superheroes Crash by OMR.
Boom Times! by Don’s Mobile Barbers.
Box Of A Billion Lights by The October Game.
Mars Bonfire EP by Mars Bonfire.

June
Swim by Fell City Girl .
Apophenia by History Of Guns.
Lovebomb by Apollo 13.

May
Fading Away by Pitch Black Dream.
313 by Phideaux.
The All-Star High School Debate Club by Hey Pablo!.
Heath & Safety by Being 747.
Tea For A Viper by SUB-ROSA.

April
Modern American Science EP by Modern American Science.
Unsigned Magazine Vol 1 by Various Artists
Featuring tracks by Lesbian Bed Death, Faustus, When Bullets Fail, and Enemo J.
Various Artists.
Yes, Virginia by The Dresden Dolls.
Snake Creeps Down by Triple Whip.
Regent Kingfish Slumberpad by Western Civ.
Trichroma by The Ghosts.

March
The Art of Individuality by Nomad 67.
Wait And See by Various Artists.
Featuring tracks by SUnday 68, AudioEskimo, My Waiting Gold, Northern Overload, and The Nihilists.

February
Chupacabras by Phideaux.

January
Energy Czar by Hunting Lodge.
Contra-Mantra by Jaugernaut.
She Went Black EP by Breakup Breakdown.
Pigs Make Children Sick by This Et Al.

The 365 challenge? What was that?

I dumped the idea. Bands don’t send me CDs to be mentioned as one of 365. They want my opinions of the release, something they can quote in their press section. Most of the pieces were half way to a review anyway (and have now been turned into such). I did enjoy being able to talk about some of my long time favourites so I may figure out a way to continue doing that.

I also found that I can write nearly an entry a day. If I can just write a review every day or two then maybe I can keep on top of the review pile a bit better than I have been doing. Of course reviews may not be as considered as say the Tom Leach one which, although fairly short, took about 150 song listens (LastFM undercounts by the way).

Tom is a Country singer with a classic Country voice and songs that deal with everyday life mixed in with extraordinary explorations of the inner self.

I’ve just done a review of his 7 Song Tape.

I’ve never met anyone who knows Tom Leach but so what. I think I heard of him on a Slow River Records compilation. He’s a (alt)country singer with a nasal twang and writes great songs. There’s one song of his that I used to do a version of when I used to play music that I just love beyond reason. The song is If I Were You.

If I were you then I would show a little mercy
And some respect for someone who’s cried.
I’d realise that I’d broken the heart of another
And I would hope that I had left him some pride.

If I were you I’d walk away and wouldn’t worry
I wouldn’t stay with this one who’s so blue
You’re so concerned and so we’re here and it hurts me
Leave me alone, that’s what I’d do if you were you.

Wow, I’m getting inspired by all this pain.