Influenced by the poetic intimacy of Leonard Cohen to the many sounds of David Bowie, and drawing parallels with Bob Dylan and Nick Drake, Tommy Trull is new to our blog through his album Break the Believer.
By Graeme Smith
Tommy’s opening gambit is the soft, folksy rock of First Night in Louisville. What struck me most about his style was the poetry and wordplay of his lyrics which are expressively delivered by a compelling vocals. Just as you get the measure of the track, some surprise banjo comes in.
Franklin Blvd Believers takes a diversion into classic psych rock in an early indication of Tommy’s genre-hopping style. We get plenty of that across the album’s fifteen tracks, with appearances from grunge, funk and post-rock to name a few. Some tracks even refuse to be defined, such as the dark Stephen and the severe and electronic The Time Fly.
The album touches on themes such as belief, transformation, and the human experience. It feels like a gauntlet being thrown down, challenging the listener to question all they take for granted. Tommy certainly isn’t afraid to “go there” with his lyrics, which makes the collection all the more relatable.
You’re not going to hear another album like Break The Believer. Written, performed and produced by Tommy in his home studio, it’s out now and you can give it a listen below.