RELIANT TOM – PLAY & REWIND
A SPILL EXCLUSIVE ALBUM PREMIERE
Brooklyn-based post-rock electronic band Reliant Tom was born from the minds of composer Monte Weber and vocalist/choreographer Claire Cuny. Together they create genre-bending music that fuses hook-laden songwriting with experimental musical arrangements. Their latest LP Play & RewindΒ sees the duo push their musical boundaries farther than previous efforts. It’s an engaging, exciting, and rewarding experience for the listener. Reliant Tom isn’t afraid to show their vulnerable side,Β often stripping songs down to the bare bones.
Claire Cuny’s vocals take front and center in a sparse yet satisfying array of musical textures that range from stuttered trip-hop to glistening electronic stylings. The album’s opener is unexpectedly earthy with acoustic plucks and Cuny’s wispyΒ lyrics. Like a flower unfolding, the arrangement bursts into full bloom.
Songs like “11-2“ and “The Sky is Falling“ showcase the musical prowess of composer Monte Webber. The pulsating beats and warbly synth lines weave a tapestry of futuristic tones that envelope Cuny’s powerful vocal presence. The latter half of the record showcases a softer, introspective side as Cuny’s lyrics dive deeper and deeper into reflection. On “Shape Parade“ she croons over light, atmospheric colors of piano, and saxophone.
Together Webber and Cuny explore every musical crevice Reliant Tom is capable of. Full of sheer inventiveness and passion, ‘Play & Rewind’ is honest and expressive. It’s an effort that leaves nothing off the table and evolves with each listen.
Artist Quote
“The whole album is basically a recount of what happened interpreted into sound. My Dad passed away Nov. 2nd and I believe we started writing only 2 months later in January. It follows only the very beginning of the grieving process I am still going through. Writing these songs helped me so much. I was able to get some of the relentless replays of the events out of my head, and it forced me to open up to Monte about what I was going through. It’s so difficult and uncomfortable to discuss, but it really helped to get some of that out of my body” ~Claire Cuny
Reliant Tom
Play & Rewind
(Diversion Records)
Release Date: May 8, 2020
Pre-Order Play & Rewind HERE
ArtistΒ Links
Play & Rewind Album Cover Photo Credit: AmandaKaye Photo
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