Track Listing

1. My Declaration
2. This Boy
3. Under The Thumb
4. Girl From The Hills
5. The Moon And Me
6. A Day In Verona
7. All Comes True
8. Almost There
9. Don't Let Go
10. Scorpio Boy

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4691 in Music
• Released on: 2004-08-02
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

From the Label
Tom Baxter fills his songs with real life, sings them like he means them, and has gained renown via the reassuringly old-fashioned medium of word of mouth. Compared to artists such as Tim Buckley and Nick Drake, Baxter is a man whose music builds from acoustic beginnings to a real emotional intensity, thanks to a unique voice, powerful string-driven production and lasting songcraft.

CD Description
This is the debut album from Suffolk born singer/songwriterTom Baxter. Co-produced by Jon Kelly (Paul McCartney, Kate Bush) and recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios, the album sees Baxter perform his brand of contemporary adult pop which has earned him comparisons to Jeff Buckley and David Gray. The single 'This Boy' is also included.

Customer Reviews

Lost for words.
I bought this on a word of mouth comparison with Damien Rice, and it's the best tip off I've ever had in music.

While the style of this album fits nearer Damien Rice's 'O', Tom's voice fits better somewhere between Chris Martin and Jeff Buckley. There are certain notes Tom sings that you could actually think WAS Jeff Buckley - and that adds a little bit of magic to the proceedings for me.

Tom's incredible voice isn't the only superlative instrument on show here. The orchestration is sumptuous throughout, the intricate guitar (especially on 'Don't Let Go') and pounding bass drums all add to a truly wonderful sound.

Picking a clear highlight from this album is tricky, as there are no fillers and no bad or misplaced tracks. If I had to pick one - I'd have to pick two. 'My Declaration' is a wonderful uplifting experience, but the real pinnacle of this album's power for me is 'Almost There' - it starts a delicate recollection of what might have been (heart wrenching is such a cliche but I'll use it here), before building to a crescendo of sound and increasingly high vocals - there's a point you think Tom's voice is going to break and he's going to burst into tears. Absolutley incredible and very very moving. 'Don't Let Go' and 'Scorpio Boy' are also worthy of mentioning.

I find it mind blowing that anyone could release an album THIS GOOD. Tom is a very gifted, talented man. This is an album to get truly lost and absorbed in. It's tender, disarming and life-affirming and I can't stop listening to it.

If you didn't like Damien Rice's 'O', I'm not sure this is your cup of tea, but if you did, and you haven't heard Tom Baxter yet - buy it - you won't regret it.

Incredible.

Honestly excellent
I heard 'This Boy' and 'My Declaration' on the radio, so decided to buy Tom Baxter's album. If you've done the same but are unsure about buying the CD, don't be. Those two tracks are a good indicator of what it's like.

Tom's edgy vocal style fits well over his guitar playing - 'A Day in Verona' and 'Don't let go' are the best examples of this. The songs are laced with passion and an undefinable element that makes them great. The guitar and piano melodies are the underlying vehicle for Tom's voice, and they really stand out well. All the threads on each song flow together flawlessly to create a perfect sound. There are no weak tracks, only ones that stand up more.

Overall it's a very uplifting CD. There are positive lyrics and happy tunes, but also the right balance of introspection too. You can hear flavours of Jeff Buckley and Ed Harcourt occasionally, but that's all - Tom's made his own sound here. If you want something that's easy to listen to but is still in touch with its emotions, I recommend you buy this album.

A Raucous and Moving Rice/Buckley Mix
Having seen Tom Baxter at Bush Hall a couple of times last summer, I was really pleased to see he had managed to get signed and release an album. The album is a really powerful piece of work. Most of the songs tend to build up from a quiet Damien Rice type acoustic into a more banging Jeff Buckley sound, often using a string quartet as backing - sounds weird, but it is truly angst-ridden and moving stuff, and demands to be played at high volume. I know this is like those annoying times when a friend tells you that the film is not as good as the book, but although this album is 5 star, if you like it, you have to see Baxter live at an intimate venue - truly, a 6 star live performer.