Towma - Constant Noise

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 3 / 12 / 2013

Label: Towma
Format: CDS

intro

Immaculately presented and played and also emotive pop on debut EP from London-based trio, Towma

The four songs featured on ‘Constant Noise’, the debut release from London trio Towma, leave you wanting to hear more from this extremely talented and competent band. Initially the listener is left wondering why the band didn’t wait until they had enough material of this standard to make their first foray into the music world a full-length album as it would surely attract rave reviews from the music monthlies, but after a few plays it’s obvious that these four songs demanded to be heard as a neat little package on their own. Talking of packages we’ll start with just that. For an EP this has to be one of the most attractively and intelligently designed to come this way in a long while. The artwork by Jillian Bain Christie is simply stunning, and so much care and thought has gone into the presentation of this EP that it even comes with a full-colour booklet including the lyrics which is more than you get with many albums these days. Before you even get to hear the trio you are taken in with the visuals of the album, which exudes class. As does the music. The sound that Hugh Anderson, Mark Stormont and Will Davies make together is instantly warm and appealing. Their influences are surely displayed proudly on their collective sleeves. Rufus Wainwright, Ben Folds Five and even Supertramp and 10cc can all be heard throughout these songs. The guys are no doubt tired already of constant comparisons to those bands, but it can’t be denied that there’s more than a subtle trace of all of the above in these four songs. But oh, what a glorious sound Towma make. The problem when music is as sophisticated as this, when it’s as slick and smooth as the music presented on ‘Constant Noise’, is that it can lack emotion. Thankfully Towma inject soul into each and every song here. The playing is immaculate. Mainly piano-based. the trio create a full-bodied sound and while their musical talents can’t be faulted it’s the vocals that really capture your attention. The vocal interplay displayed on closer ‘Frankenstein’ is simply breathtaking, the harmonies so spot-on (as they are throughout the EP) that they would surely put a smile on a certain Mr. Wilson’s face, and even the amusing, mock- scary spoken sections work extremely well. The trio even throws in a few jazzy touches on this song to keep things interesting. It would be interesting to know just how long the trio have been playing these particular songs. The opening track, ‘You Kept Your Head’, is a vocal feast and presented as it is here. It sounds so perfect you get the impression the guys must have been working on it for some time. Catchy melodies, perfect vocals, well-worked out arrangements ; these are surely songs that have been honed to perfection over a period of some time. These four songs will move anyone who loves pop music; it’s impossible not to be drawn in by those lush melodies and vocal arrangements. It almost seems futile trying to capture the splendour of this music in words, it really needs to be heard. Yes it’s slick, yes it’s played and sung perfectly and any rough edges have been well and truly buffed to a bright shine but the trio still inject passion and energy into the songs thereby avoiding the mistake of making soulless and faceless music. ‘Constant Noise’ is the perfect introduction to three extremely talented musicians; it will be interesting to hear where they go next.

Track Listing:-

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