Review: Tom Daily

Tom Daily
““The Burlington Northern””
(Thick Records)

So when infinitely talented people join together, groups are formed, recordings are made, tours are notched, burn and fade.  Then these infinitely talented people still need to create music (the ones that didn’’t find Jesus, a family, drugs or a Jesus family on drugs).  So they say, “fuck it” I can do this myself.  I got a batch of songs the band never played and a record label that believes in me.  This is the story of Tom Daily who founded Not Rebecca whose success in the Chicago scene resulted in Daily joining the Smoking Popes on guitar for their critically acclaimed made for a soundtrack alterna-fizz.  Opening with a sweet picking layered with a whining feedback and Daily declares, “…In the high schools halls…the arsenals…am I the only one who knows…The kids are not alright” and the song comes off light a bad lullaby filtered through and am clock radio.  Distinct, original and with an indie-pop laced charmed.  This album pretty much tells me the Smoking Popes were pretty much holding him back as this shows more hook, depth and desirability than I ever saw in the Popes.  I’m not sure if this will evolve into a full band as the credits list 7 other contributors (a couple of bass players, some computers, guitars, violins…) although the final result is much more focused than such an array might suggest so taking it live might be a possibility.  For the inspired sick of the tired.