Photo by Katie Anderson
Sunderland, UK-based Tom A. Smith once again brings lashings of attitude with the swaggering indie rock track “Carry That Weight.” From start to finish, there’s a free-flowing energy and welcome roughness to every element. Muscular and punchy, it nevertheless retains a classic melodicism that harks back to the brash anthems of the 1990s.
The production is incredibly slick, but the electric guitars cut through the forceful drums and deep bass with a satisfying bite. Loose and almost unruly, they bring a welcome sense of danger and abrasion, roughening up the otherwise polished arrangement.
Smith’s distinctive vocals command centre stage throughout. His expressive, gravelly delivery delightfully matches the rebellious spirit of the music. There’s a natural exuberance to his performance as he effortlessly shifts between restraint and moments of exhilarating dynamic power.
Co-written with Hugo White of The Maccabees, “Carry That Weight” is inspired by Smith’s life-limiting heart condition, hypoplastic heart syndrome, while touching on themes of life and love, as well as the fear of becoming a burden.
Tom A. Smith elaborates: “Over the last two years I’ve done a lot of thinking about how it has impacted me as I’ve become an adult and most importantly, I’ve written an album about it. I always knew and wanted this to be what my first record was about; it was just a case of when the right time for me to talk about it was.”
“Carry That Weight” is taken from Tom A. Smith’s debut album The Golden Gates which is slated for release April 2nd via Fiction Records. Preorder and save the album here.
Smith adds, “The main thing for me is that this isn’t a sob story. It’s me being myself – and, as the final songs on the album show, there’s happiness in my acceptance of my situation.”
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