Singer/Songwriter Tom Hummer Releases New EP
Iowa based singer/songwriter and one-man band Tom Hummer’s latest release Crescendo continues an impressive run. He’s released five full length albums and three EP’s since embarking on his solo career. Those releases marry elements of shoegaze, indie/alt-rock, industrial, folk, and grunge into a potent stew flavored with powerful individuality. Touching so many bases isn’t something every musical artist can pull off without producing an incoherent mishmash lacking consistent direction. It isn’t the case with Hummer, however, as clarity defines each songs on the latest EP. Producing the collection in his home studio rather than some pricey professional studio doesn’t translate to lower quality either. Even a cursory listen to Crescendo reveals the care and consideration he’s given to this new release.
URL: https://www.tomhummer.com/
The first track amply illustrates this. The bulk of “Our Time Has Got to End” hinges on an eloquent repeating guitar figure that will exhaust few listeners thanks to its simple yet inherent melodicism. Hummer’s vocal won’t remind anyone of is more talk than singing though its evocative half-whispered tone will grab listeners’ attention. It isn’t a classically appealing voice but his talent for conveying emotion is beyond question. “Our Time Has Got to End” transforms into far stormier fare during the song’s final lap and the juxtaposition of the comparatively demure first half with a chaotic coda makes for compelling listening.
There’s a little bit of everything packed into the EP’s second track. “The Worst Way” couples piano-laden balladry with industrial overtones throughout much of the song. A theatrical focus missing from the opener leaps out from this track at various points without ever striking you as heavy-handed. It’s another emotionally charged musical landscape, however, as Hummer abandons the ballad influence and dives headlong into an electric guitar fueled maelstrom during the song’s second half. It’s the longest track on Crescendo though the five and a half minute plus running time never tests the listener’s patience.
“Bleached Summer Culture” follows a similar template. The vocal arrangement is much stronger than its predecessors offer as harmonies are an integral factor in the song’s success. It is much more spartan, as well, during the first half of the song before, once more, Hummer succumbs to the temptations of his electric guitar and whips up a furious storm to conclude the performance. It’s a lyrical gem, as well, that shows his growing acumen as a writer.
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/crescendo-ep/1639738710
The final two tracks are much shorter. The first, “Wringer”, blends light electronica with delicate piano and booming percussion. This track is much more in the shoegaze and alt-rock vein than the other EP cuts and its contrasting musical values make for a gripping experience. We hear a gathering storm during the second half hinting at the same approach heard during earlier songs, but Hummer switches up and confounds our expectations. His freewheeling yet disciplined creativity is one of the chief reasons to seek out his new EP Crescendo, but this is an artist who shows no signs of slowing down. It’s a substantive and daring release.
Anne Hollister
Anne Hollister
We do music reviews for Independent Artists and Publicists.
