Tom Ciurczak – Antarctica
The opening tunes have splashes of Hammond organ, crisp drumbeats, & Tom’s generic rock voice is far better than some hair band lead vocalists who think they matter with their over-emoting & showboating personas. The first 3 tracks have persuasive moments, but “Blackout Jack” has bursts of trombone, soaring lead guitar & Tom’s noirish narrative in a Willie DeVille-style that excites. Tom doesn’t have Willy’s commanding vocal timbre, but it’s an energetic track with chain gang backup singers.
More rooted in the blues is “Looking For a Place,” & Tom (vocals/guitar) shines a little brighter in the repertoire. Backup vocals, incendiary drums & Tom’s raw vocal accentuation work deliciously. Ten musical trips to Antarctica (Drops Sept 25/Independent/35:13) bless this set, produced by Stephen Haaker (drums/percussion/bgv) & Brett Grossman (bgv) & recorded in Los Angeles.
There are some dramatic balladry moments, but they hardly detract from the overall character Tom maintains in his songs. The magic is in the music – despite the vintage style, Tom presents it with a fresh idiom to temper its potential. He’s borderline cliché in some lyrics but doesn’t succumb to that temptation. Why the album is called “Antarctica” is the question, since so many better images from the song titles could have been conjured. “From the Blues Saloon” would have been more compelling.
There’s nothing completely new or challenging in this set, but that’s not to say there isn’t rock ‘n’ roll steam rising from these Tom Ciurczak nuggets. They are firmly planted in the soil of a retro-rock tradition, & Tom unleashes it quite well, with energy, vitality, & variety. The musicians assert themselves well, & there’s just enough old-fashioned rock ornamentation to make it grind out the necessary entertainment value.
Nonetheless, there are enough chunks of rock sliced thick in this set & Tom’s well-fueled voicing are authoritative on “Going Down In Flames.” Slithers of lead guitar supported by the drum aggression make this a keeper. It’s a great saloon rocker. Segueing to the final track, “Creature From the Blues Saloon,” is a pensive, conservative blues piece sung well, played excellently & well-articulated. Too short, though. Quite a pleasant selection to close out a good album.
Highlights – “Blackout Jack,” “Looking For a Place,” “Going Down In Flames” & “Creature From the Blues Saloon.”
Musicians – Jayne Palmer (vocals/bgv), Jimena Fosado, Rob Reischak & Dylan Tirapelli-Jamail (electric guitars), Oscar Jesus Bugarin & Matt Hornbeck (electric & acoustic guitars), Sean Sobash, Travis Carlton & Billy Diisko (bass guitars), Valerie Chaikin, Neara Russell & Bobby Victor (keyboards), Lasim Richards (trombone) & Drew Wilson (bgv).
Color image courtesy of Tom’s Bandcamp. CD @ Bandcamp & https://tomciurczak.com/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Tom Ciurczak “Yorick”