Tom Williams & The Boat
Album: Teenage Blood
Label: Moshi Moshi/Wire Boat
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.tomwilliamsandtheboat.co.uk

I first became aware of Tom Williams & The Boat when they recorded on ultra-indie label, Unlabel, before they moved into the world of self-releasing on their own Wire Boats Records. It's from there that they're released their second album, "Teenage Blood" having raised funds through the increasingly popular Pledge Music method. In addition to raising funds for the record, a portion of funds raised will be donated to the Kent Air Ambulance.

There are aspects of the sounds of "Teenage Blood" that remind me of the music of two earlier Toms, Robinson and Petty. The former for the way the songs come together, the latter for the way those songs sound and are presented. Who knows maybe Tom William's will become the Tom that helps define generation Y, unless the marketing people have decided we're already on generation Z.

The reason that I mentioned Robinson, is that whilst both are outstanding songwriters, both started off with the optimism of youth with issues easily defined in black and white and then delightfully discovered the endless quantities of gray that sit between those two points. "Little Bit In Me" ultimately being the song that most defines that. Whilst he's personalised the song, it's a great piece on what makes us who and what we are.

Petty because he was so instrumental in laying down the musical foundations that may have been a more direct inspiration to Tom Williams & The Boat, the light pop/rock sound that has always seemed so right for songs about love and life, new relationships forming as old ones crash and burn, there's a good reason why this album's called "Teenage Blood".

Whilst the band have retained the narrative structure of their earlier songs, they've managed to introduce the more conventional verse, chorus approach, which, combined with some great hooks, easily makes this their most accessible album so far and will hopefully bring them significant airplay that will to a fan base built up through solid graft. It must be especially satisfying for them as they've managed to do it without compromise.

This is an album that really does have something for pretty much everyone. The songs are well constructed and easy to relate to. There is something of the universal self about them, your circumstances may not have been exactly the same, but you've been there and whatever you think, you're now a little influenced by what Tom Williams & Boat have done, as sure as they've been influence by everyone they've interacted with, just as well it's worthy of the right.

Neil King