Hear Him: Tom Ramsbottom

An overview of the art and persona of Tom Ramsbottom; an infinitely talented and highly promising singer/songwriter, who is soon to be easing his way onto the vast setting of contemporary Music.

Hear Him at : YouTube

Tom has already found firm success as an actor, recently appearing in Tom Hooper’s 2009 film The Damned United, as 1970’s footballer Trevor Cherry. Though this appearance has formed a stage from which he can launch himself further into his performing career, Tom’s passion for song writing and musical performance is none the less for his acting abilities. His acting precedent purely adds merit to his abilities as an entertainer and fuels his power to emote his audience when he sings.

At the blithe young age of 24, you may be impressed by the profound and emotionally charged lyrics sounded out by Tom, who sings about concepts considerably beyond his years. Feeling his way through musical expression, Tom employs just himself and his acoustic guitar, drawing only upon his charming anthology of personal experiences for assistance. Though an album is yet to be compiled, the work so far produced by this gifted Wilmslow lad is of noteworthy quality.

Tom’s stand-out songs, such as Whole Again, Falling Down and Fade Away, assume a value akin to the composition of better-known acoustic artists Joseph Arthur and Ben Harper. To quote Tom’s own account of his style, he says ‘at the risk of sounding like a dating agency advert, I’m very laid back and easy going and in some of my songs I’ve really noticed that coming through’. Lazy Sunday Morning is testament to this as it draws direct comparisons with Jack Johnson, right down to the mellow yet jaunty melody and intricate finger-work sustained throughout the piece. Though comparable to these more established artists, Tom reaches his own unique genre of talent and is by no means clichéd, his unquestionable authenticity is apparent in his music and compelling stage presence.

In a paradoxically soft yet charmingly raucous voice, Tom sings primarily about love, loving and heartache; drawing on his own personal experiences to create sincerely emotive and relatable sounds. Whole Again hears Tom reach the peak of his musical flair, a song in which he finds a level of maturity and creativity in his expression that one might find remarkable for someone so young. The intensity of feeling captured in the lyrics falls happily into rhythm with Tom’s unique voice and the rasping tones that flow out over the relaxed, affecting backdrop of the guitar.

Though there resounds in Tom Ramsbottom a primarily acoustic/folk tone, his quirky and energetic persona leads him into some more light-hearted, upbeat faculties of music that reveal his sanguine demeanour and amiable outlook. One to certainly listen to is Porn, a hilarious little piece of merriment that hears to us a tongue-in-cheek discussion about the concept of porn in contemporary society. Though cheeky, the song is not crude and to see such quirky humour makes Tom even more likeable as an artist and an individual.

Tom doesn’t limit himself to the acoustic game, and has also ventured into electric guitar territory, as well as being a dab hand on the piano. Though he claims to have ‘much to learn about playing [the guitar]’, having played for only 3 years Tom demonstrates truly admirable finger-work. He goes on to say ‘I don’t know what will happen with my music…getting airplay would be…Wow!’
Tom is currently working in the recording studio with the producer of The Doves, New Order and several other big names, so he needn’t be so modest…

Ultimately Tom’s music represents the landscape of the life of a boy in who, beyond his humble and charismatic exterior, can be seen a young man quietly yet determinedly reaching out for more and this ambition can be heard in his concentrated, poignant acoustic sounds.

Whole Again: YouTube

Porn: YouTube

Short URL: http://newbeatsmedia.com/?p=1939

Writen by Hannah Hassack of This Is No Bridget Jones

Posted on Wed 9th September 2009 and filed under Musicians, Reviews.

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