Song About a Train
Tom Flannery
KikoMusic
1998
14 tracks
The cover features a black and white photo of a man wearing what we used to call a "lumberjack shirt" walking away from the viewer down a lonely railway track. The title of the CD is Song About a Train. Expectations are for guy-and-a-guitar stuff, folk or country music, perhaps along the lines of Jimmy Rogers or Roy Acuff. Then the CD goes into the player. Here are hints of folk and country, but the overall impression is similar more to the sound of groups such as, and indeed especially, the Wallflowers.
Unlike traditional folk or country artists, Tom Flannery brings to his songs a very modern sensibility. While his songs contain elements of folk, country, and even blues, this is clearly crossover material. Songs from this release could be played within most contemporary radio formats except perhaps hard rock.
Flannery's guitar sound is filled out admirably by a skilful blend of organ [I'm not sure, but it may be a classic B3], violin [as opposed to fiddle and apparently from the keyboard, since no violin/fiddle credit is given], harmonica, steel guitar, and an assortment of other instruments. The result is an interesting and pleasing sound well suited to Flannery's gentle lyrics.
Flannery's finely crafted lyrics include sweet love songs (Marie's Song), strange allusions (Blame it On the Death of Charles Kuralt), serious social commentary (Johnson's Station), folk rock (Rescue Me), echoes of hillbilly music (Cindy's Around), train songs (Clarksdale Whistle Blues, Song About a Train), melancholy if not actual blues (I'm Gonna Fade Away, Steve Earle Blues, Moshing With David Crosby), nostalgia (Feel like Coming Home, Angeline), stories (Pettigrew), and folkish sweet reminiscence (When You Pass Me By).
It doesn't hurt at all that Flannery has a sweet singing voice, sometimes tinged with older folk or country styles, often with just a dash of Dylan. Even were the music not so well performed nor the lyrical stories so well told, this voice would be a pleasure to hear.Song About a Train will make an excellent addition to anyone's collection of contemporary singer/songwriters. This is music that deserves to find an audience.
Anyone wanting more information on Tom Flannery or his music can find it at the very interesting KikoMusic website.
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Review Written: March 15, 1999
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