Tom Scott – Anitya (Years Gone By) (13th Floor Album Review)
Releasing music for the first time under his name, Tom Scott has made Anitya – born of the blood, sweat, and tears shed with Homebrew, @Peace, Average Rap Band, and Avantdale Bowling Club. The 13th Floor’s Jeff Neems has been listening (and talking) to Tom Scott…
In a brief exchange of Instagram messages, Tom Scott tells me he’s finally proud of this album, his first under his own name and one marking a subtle but important change to the style which has made one of NZ’s most respected contemporary musicians.
But first, a couple of quick rewinds. Tom’s a sort of musical chameleon, the voice of Home Brew and the mastermind who pulled together a group of New Zealand’s best musicians to record and perform as Avantdale Bowling Club (their album Trees was the first album I reviewed for 13th Floor and it brought me to tears). Although Tom’s identifiable voice is the trademark from both those acts, he takes things much deeper on Anitya.
This is, he explains in a voice message, an album of two distinct sides – side A are the break-up tunes, side B the falling in love songs. He was moving between two relationships when these songs began to emerge within him.
And – laid over a superbly minimal sound-bed of bass, guitar, drum and even sitar – Anitya then becomes as deeply a personal affair for the listener as it does the artist. Khloe, Till Then and Message 2 Miles speak directly to the heartbreak and confusion of a relationship ending, including having to explain to a child Mum and Dad won’t be together anymore.
Tom’s real skill is to string together vivid concepts of what is happening in front of him, along with some of the things he deals with as a working musician. How To Perform a Lobotomy references the sheer anger and frustration of the relationship ending and lingering memories as he attempts to block out the past.
On his Instagram story a few weeks ago, he joked “this is my r ‘n’b album” and so listeners should go in expecting no dancefloor or club bangers.
Everything here is at a very slow and moody tempo, reminiscent of early work from Erykah Badu (think Baduism), D’Angelo or the most recent Loyle Carner album Hopefully!
Side 2 – the new relationship side – changes the mood, as new love is found and explored. The piano and keyboards becomes a little more prominent and while never departing from the entire sound it is distinctly more positive lyrically, on Dirty Talk, Only One, and One of These Days. It all speaks of the hope of new love, and the desire to get things right this time. There’s a dash of political humor on Baby Let’s Have a Baby, “before Trump does something crazy”.
A word also about Tom’s vocal delivery here: yes, he’s primarily known as a rap performer, but on Anitya he explores his vocal range with singing and spoken word – it’s brave, bold and something of a gamble given his audience responds particularly to the weed-and-booze soaked songs which punctuate his career. Be warned, this is quite different to the back catalog.
Lastly, Tom gave me an insight into the title. Anitya is a concept of impermanence in several Asian religions, and Tom feels “it made perfect sense” for what is a deeply emotional album which reflects his own feminine side.
Don’t expect Anitya to be heard in clubs and bars: this is one for a dimly lit lounge or bedroom, with a quiet drink and time to absorb a deep glimpse into Tom’s personal life.
It’s a brave artist who departs from what has made them successful, and Tom’s produced a triumph again here.
Another outstanding release from the man of many musical monikers.
Lorraine would be proud, Tom.
Jeff Neems
Anitya is out on October 10th.
