Tom Cunliffe – Spit Out Your Gum (13th Floor Album Review)
The Londoner turned music making New Zealander, Tom Cunliffe, is releasing his fourth outing, titled Spit Out Your Gum. It’s a warm and intimate album, glittering with folk sound.
Intimacy is the first thing you’re going to notice (or perhaps expect, depending on your knowledge of the artist). Each track recorded in one take, with just Cunliffe crooning alongside his guitar playing (softly). He’s often joined by Dave Khan on piano or violin (also playing softly) and Cass Basil’s clarinet (a massively underrated instrument, played- you guessed it- softly).
In fact, Dave Khan is one of those session and live musicians that is a bit of an unsung hero in the New Zealand circles. And, in true unsung hero fashion, his additions to the performance enrich it without overshadowing the-man-and-his-guitar sound that Cunliffe is going for.
Laid down on tape at Roundhead Studios, the aim was to capture every blemish that comes with a live performance. This large lack of modern production, sets the mood and warmth of an intimate late-night café. You can hear Cunliffe’s fingers moving across the fretboard for each chord change. I like to think you can hear the candles burning. Which is unsurprising as he classifies his music as ‘moon-lit folk songs’.
Spit Out Your Gum begins with The Diabolical Hippies of Manor House, which complies well with my personal the-first-song-on-an-album-must-give-us-a-taste-of-what-to-expect-from-the-rest-rule. There’s a bit of clever wit to Cunliffe’s lyrics. There are stories to be told and I have no doubt there is deeper meaning behind the somewhat offbeat lyrics that appear in each of the nine songs.
And, while he’s not necessarily writing the next great pop hook, he is successful in producing some quite memorable melodies. A good example of this is on the lead single Nightingale. He sings the chorus (a great repetition of the title – trust me, I think it’s clever!) in an almost Bob Dylan-esque vocal rhythm where it doesn’t quite sit perfectly. It’s effective and results in quite a catchy little number.
As I mentioned, the accompaniment adds lovely textural layers to a basic product. The soft violin is a nice addition and it’s no secret I am a huge fan of the clarinet (if only I’d stuck with those recorder lessons in the nineties, I might be playing one now!).
It’s an album I’d love to have on vinyl; something I could put on after a hard day at the office. There’s currently a crowd funding process being undertaken to get a release out on wax for those that way inclined. I’m sure Cunliffe will also be touring this album and I can picture the sort of venues he’ll be aiming for (expect dark rooms and burning candles, Ladies and Gentlemen!).
Folk fans, look no further, Tom Cunliffe captures an intimate folk sound that should whisk you out of the hectic-ness of day-to-day life. However, I’d encourage everyone to be calmed by a gentle listen of Spit Out Your Gum.
Daniel Edmonds
Spit Out Your Gum is out now!
