I’ve been intending to review Tom-Lee Richards’ album Out of the Oddness for a few days now. But every time I went to start typing I couldn’t bring myself to do it. This is the kind of music that is just made to be appreciated. It casts a spell which would be broken by the tap-tap-tapping of my fingers on my keyboard. I worried the magic might not be as potent if I started to analyse it, in much the same way that a magician’s tricks lose their wonder once you know how they’re done.
But if I didn’t review it, I told myself, you wouldn’t know how special it is. It’s not a big blockbuster release, so you won’t hear its songs on radio. It would have been buried by all of the other albums on your streaming service. You’d never find it, and that would be a great shame. So after spending days just listening, I reasoned that it really was important I stepped out of that bubble of appreciation and little and put my thoughts down.
From the opening strains of “Beside You,” you know you’re in for something unique. It’s striking in its stripped back soundscape, with just a gentle acoustic guitar and Tom-Lee’s voice easing you in before you’re picked up by the groove of the chorus. From that moment, if you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself like me, carried away by the beautiful music Tom-Lee creates.
He has a gift for creating unique soundscapes which sound so pretty and original. Sonically, this is such a strong album. The instruments come together so beautifully, and Tom’s voice has such a special quality. But there’s more than that at play. The lyrics of these songs are so moving. I felt so caught up in the tracks, whether Tom-Lee is singing of longing in “Beside You” or social isolation in “Madness.” Upbeat fare like “As Far as India” help balance more sombre moments like the title track.
Out of the Oddness is like no album I can remember hearing. It’s truly captivated me. It’s very early in the year to call it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being my favourite release for 2018.