Hamilton, ON blues-rock mainstay Tom Wilson has captivated Canadian music fans with his work in Junkhouse and Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, though at the moment, he's switched his focus back to his Lee Harvey Osmond project. Following up 2013's The Folk Sinner, new LP Beautiful Scars is due out next week — but Exclaim! is giving you an advanced listen.
Produced by Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) at his Toronto studio, the new record largely places emphasis on Wilson's singing. A press release describes his voice as "a warm hand to the forehead, an arm on the arm of the stricken, a comforting growl at the heart of a screaming world."
Despite the prominence of Wilson's baritone croons, there's also noteworthy backing instrumentation that comes in the form of "swooning horns" and "guitars that bob and weave."
Wilson leads the listener on a sonic journey from the sad twang of opener "Loser Without You Love" to the fuzzy psychedelia of "Shake the Hand," through the slide guitar showcase that is "Hey, Hey, Hey" and on to haunting acoustic ballad "How Does It Feel?" By the arrival of gentle folk closer "Bottom of Our Love," Wilson has delivered an undeniably strong and versatile presentation of his unique, yet familiar and comforting, vocal style.
Beautiful Scars officially arrives on April 7 via Latent Recordings, but you can listen to the new record in its entirety below, right now.
Wilson will celebrate the record with a Toronto release show on April 7 at the Dakota.
Produced by Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) at his Toronto studio, the new record largely places emphasis on Wilson's singing. A press release describes his voice as "a warm hand to the forehead, an arm on the arm of the stricken, a comforting growl at the heart of a screaming world."
Despite the prominence of Wilson's baritone croons, there's also noteworthy backing instrumentation that comes in the form of "swooning horns" and "guitars that bob and weave."
Wilson leads the listener on a sonic journey from the sad twang of opener "Loser Without You Love" to the fuzzy psychedelia of "Shake the Hand," through the slide guitar showcase that is "Hey, Hey, Hey" and on to haunting acoustic ballad "How Does It Feel?" By the arrival of gentle folk closer "Bottom of Our Love," Wilson has delivered an undeniably strong and versatile presentation of his unique, yet familiar and comforting, vocal style.
Beautiful Scars officially arrives on April 7 via Latent Recordings, but you can listen to the new record in its entirety below, right now.
Wilson will celebrate the record with a Toronto release show on April 7 at the Dakota.
