Lo Tom
Lo Tom
(Barsuk Records)
Does rock and roll get better with age? It’s not a question exactly posed by the indie super group Lo Tom – which features members of Pedro the Lion, Starflyer 59, Velour 100 and various other projects – but they answer it regardless with a resounding confirmation, at least in this case. Super groups often have such huge reputations to live down, but Lo Tom passes the test easily, perhaps by not trying too hard.
One might call the group the CSNY of post-Christian indie rock, subtract the Southern rock and easy listening overtones of that group and the hefty egos and maybe that’s not as terrible a comparison as it might immediately seem. Lo Tom is the culmination of so many indie rock connections it’s a surprise this incarnation has never surfaced before. The band put together a handy flow chart to visualize most (if not all) of those connections, but to summarize, the cast of Lo Tom is lead by David Bazan (Pedro the Lion), who pulls double duty as vocalist and bass player, backed by Jason Martin (Starflyer 59, etc) and TW Walsh(Pedro, The Soft Drugs) on guitars, anchored by drummer Trey Many (Starflyer, Velour 100, etc). Even one familiar with the parties involved may be caught off guard by the big, swaying vaguely classic rock sound of Lo Tom. That’s where that CSNY comparison comes in, perhaps more so if lines are drawn to “heavy” Neil Young, taking the B-side of Rust Never Sleeps for example. Pitch Young’s high lonesome, pedal steel-y voice down and you might get something not unlike Bazan’s trademark, somber brassiness that plays well with Martin’s constantly bending and unbending guitar work. That pairing works so well, it’s shocking we have never heard it before and combine that with frequent Martin collaborator, Many’s tight drumming keeps things focused and driving even in the slower moments. Walsh’s impact is perhaps felt the least, as one might have expected his presence to tip the scales towards a more Pedro the Lion sound, though the melodies the band carves out are of a piece with his recent solo records.
The record kicks off with “Covered Wagon” which musically doesn’t evoke the level of twang the name suggests(see: Starflyer 59’s “Trucker’s Son” or “Shane” for example) but it’s a perfect start to the record. The four piece sounds huge within the first few seconds of the record and there’s a wide open sonic space that feels simultaneously close. Lo Tom are comfortably broken in from the get go and the second cut and first single from the record “Overboard” is one the most forwardly Young-ish offerings with a repeated, sliding guitar riff reminiscent of the opening of On the Beach, which uncoils into something closer to the Pedro meets Starflyer feel the band initially implied. “Bubblegum” is the most lyrically lightweight track on the record but Bazan is no less surly and the steady bass groove and 80s rock chord progressions feel just as menacing as any of the weightier songs. “Bad Luck Charm” brings things down a little with it’s chugging, bewitched meandering before “Another Mistake” pounds away, driven mostly by faux-stadium echoed vocals and drums while the guitars rev and snarl, snapping at Bazan and Many’s heels before spluttering to a close. “Find the Shrine” swings with an assured, forwardly 70s swagger; it’s main riff recalling that of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.” The penultimate “Pretty Cool” surpasses it’s name with a vaguely Floydian bass and drum groove and freakier guitar warbling that slithers up to the fantastically petty line “no one knows your name, and that’s how I’ll get away with it…talking shit.” Finally, the record–which feels lengthier than it’s 29 minute run time–comes to a close on the delirious guitar experimentation of “Lower Down” but even with the guitars pushed this far out there they never really overshadow the vocals and rhythm section. It’s a striking balance of atmosphere and flesh-and-blood presence that Walsh and Martin are masters of, brought even more down to earth by Bazan’s familiar weariness.
Lo Tom offers surprising depth for a record conceived so casually – written and recorded in just two sessions – and while it may not surpass any of the individual artists greatest achievements it is a more than adequately seaworthy release. There’s little hints of 70s and 80s guitar rock worship but it’s not a corny throwback exercise at all. It doesn’t reinvent guitar driven music for a new generation or any of it’s member’s own careers either, but even if none of it’s members had any name recognition, the record would demand the critical attention it will likely get. All in all, it’s just a great, off the cuff rock record that begs to be listened to in the casual manner which it likely was made, in the garage with the door open and a couple of beers and some old friends. There’s not many contemporary artists to compare it too but it slots in next to the Men At Work vibes of Dan Andriano’s last solo record or the mumbly garage rock of Courtney Barnett.
