Tom Baxter - Skybound
Tom Baxter emerged in 2004 as one of London's premier underground singer/songwriters. Steadily rising in popularity since that time Baxter soon became a major force in Britain's independent and live music scenes. Born in Suffolk to a pair of well-traveled folk musicians, Baxter was surrounded by songwriting from an early age. Under his parents' apprenticeship and the guidance of their musical friends, Baxter learned the building blocks of songcraft. During his teen years Baxter's parents bought an old hotel and opened up a club on the ground floor called Charlie's Bar. It was in that bar that Baxter and his brother learned the ins and outs of live performance, eventually assembling a house band. At 19, Baxter moved to London for music school. He soon began performing in bars throughout London, earning money playing covers while developing his original repertoire. Baxter earned a loyal following through regular performance, building up the steam necessary to release his debut record, Feather and Stone, which emerged in 2004. Regional touring and Baxter's constantly evolving catalog of material kept his audiences enthusiastic and ever-growing. Singles like "Better", released in 2007, whet listener's appetites for Baxter's much anticipated follow-up release, Skybound, to be released in January of 2008. When the pre-release fell into the hands of actor and producer David Schwimmer, the Friends veteran decided to include some of Baxter's material in his film Run, Fat Boy, Run.
Rreview
Skybound, the second album by London’s Tom Baxter, reveals the singer/songwriter to be as mellow as a latter-day James Taylor. However, he clearly wishes to be taken seriously as an artist along the lines of Jeff Buckley, and so there is a certain earnestness to much of Skybound that keeps Baxter from writing sure-fire chart-toppers like John Mayer's "Daughters" or any of Sting’s solo hits. Indeed, sometimes it seems that he has learned the lessons of his influences a little too well: The first single, "Better," is so tasteful, from the just-so cracks in Baxter's voice to the deliberate build of the arrangement, that it verges on predictable. For every moment like that, however, Skybound offers another filled with genuine artistry. The opening "Night Like This," for example, dabbles in some atmospheric keyboard fills that wouldn't sound out of place on an Air album, and "Tell Her Today" flirts with Brazilian rhythms and a slurred whisper of a vocal akin to Nick Drake.
Tracks
1 A Night Like This 4:36
2 Skybound 6:41
3 Better 4:08
4 Tell Her Today 6:14
5 Miracle 4:32
6 The Last Shot 6:39
7 Tragic 5:20
8 Half a Man 7:34
9 Icarus Wings 6:32
10 Light Me Up 4:41
Release Date: January 7, 2008
Duration: 56:57
Genre: Pop/Rock
Styles: Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Alternative/Indie Rock
Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Bit Rate : 256kbps
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