Fast-rising newcomer Tom A. Smith announces debut EP, out February 25th, alongside the blistering new single 'Dragonfly, out January 21st
LISTEN TO ‘DRAGONFLY’ HERE
Following up the enormous response to his incredible debut single ‘Wolves’, released near the end of 2021, which has since earned radio play on BBC Radio 1 (Jack Saunders), BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing, RadioX (John Kennedy’s X-posure playlist), KCRW, Triple J, and Amazing Radio, support from CLASH, RTE, Sunderland Echo, FredPerry SubCulture, and This Feeling, as well as countless adds to official playlists from Spotify, Deezer, and Apple Music, emerging newcomer Tom A. Smith looks to continue his impressive introduction by announcing the release of his debut EP titled ‘EP 1’ produced by Larry Hibbitt (Nothing But Thieves/The Snuts/Sea Girls/Lauren Hibberd) - out February 25th. The announcement runs alongside the release of his blistering second single ‘Dragonfly’.
Much like his first offering, ‘Dragonfly’ looks to continue that bold and refreshing sound he is quickly cultivating for himself. Capturing a strong and energetic indie-rock direction with his own distinctive vocal performance gives this return an instantly engaging feel, and cements him as one of the most exciting names set to take 2022 by storm.
Speaking about the new release, Tom said, "Dragonfly is about the dream of wishing I could get away and start again. The feeling that I need to do it soon or I might get stuck in a rut."
When Covid hit at the start of 2020, Smith spent lockdown honing his craft and writing songs constantly. He set himself a challenge of writing a song a day, in as many styles and genres as he could think of. When restrictions eased and he went into the studio with Nothing But Thieves/The Snuts / Sea Girls producer Larry Hibbitt to record his debut EP, the challenge wasn’t coming up with great songs to lay down, it was trying to pick which great songs to include.
“It was a tough one,” Smith says of the process of whittling that wealth of material down to just five songs. “I wanted it to be a statement. It shows the versatility of what I’ve done and demonstrates the different styles that I can do.”
Smith sings, writes and performs everything here and his emergence as a livewire musical polymath is astounding. Debut single ‘Wolves’ is a twisted, anthemic rush of indie rock magnificence. Led by Smith’s raw-throated vocals, it channels the spirit of 80s heroes New Order, The Cure and Echo And the Bunnymen; reinventing and reimagining those skyscraping sounds for a new century and a new emotional landscape. It’s a sound he delves even deeper into on the dense, shadowy snarl of ‘Dragonfly’, a pounding, electrifying plea for escape and transcendence you can imagine causing thousands of camera phone lights to be lifted aloft. ‘Convince Yourself’, meanwhile, is a slow-stalking hit of electrified 21st Century blues. Led Zeppelin via Arctic Monkeys, its gigantic riffs and blood-raw emotions hitting you through a filter of fuzztone digital growls.
The last two tracks on the EP, ‘Boltcutters’ and ‘Crucify Me’ however, show another side of Smith entirely. ‘Boltcutter’s is a love song to rank alongside anything Smith may have covered in the past. Stripped back to the bone, it can turn your heart to butter with little more that Smith’s lilting melody and deft fingerpicking. Ending the EP, ‘Crucify Me’ shows the folkie side of Smith, his quivering vocals and curls of acoustic guitar play intimately off one another before cello and mandolins sprout up around him and carry the song off over the horizon. Unbelievably, it’s actually the demo version he recorded himself at home.
Speaking about his impending debut EP release Tom says, “I’m so excited for people to hear the e.p. They started as demos in my bedroom during lockdown and to hear them sound so massive now is unbelievable. What I love is that each song is so different, but you know it’s me from the first word”
EP track listing
Wolves
Dragonfly
Boltcutters
Convince Yourself
Crucity Me
Having already played a ton of gigs since the release of 'Wolves' including supporting; Courteeners, Martha Hill, Vistas, Blondes, The Pale White, Eliza and The Bear and lots more as well as appearances at Live at Leeds, Liverpool Sound City, This Is Tomorrow and Gathering Sounds, Tom A. Smith has also announced a string of live dates for the forthcoming year. See below for the full list of performances confirmed so far.
Tom A. Smith Live Dates:
23rd Jan - Birmingham, The Sunflower Lounge - Supporting M60
26th Jan - London, Colours - Supporting KEG @ Abbie McCarthy’s Good Karma Club
16th Apr - Stockton, Stockton Calling Festival
28th May - Warrington, Neighbourhood Weekender
4th Jun - Birmingham, Sonic Wave Festival
18th Jun - Czech Rep, Rock For People Festival
Despite being only 17-years-old, Sunderland-based newcomer Tom A. Smith has already achieved more than most artists do in a lifetime. He played his first ever gig aged just eight, supporting local psychedelic rockers Detroit Social Club at legendary Newcastle venue The Cluny, performed at Glastonbury before he was even in secondary school, and Tim Burgess handpicked him to play his stage at Kendal Calling, making him the festival’s youngest ever performer. He has played live with local hero Sam Fender and Catfish & The Bottlemen, as well as supported other Northern acts on the rise like The Lathums and The Mysterines.
Tom A. Smith’s self-uploaded performances have won him fans amongst rock and roll royalty. The week David Bowie passed, Bowie’s widow Iman shared Smith’s cover of Bowie’s Lazarus online, commenting on the emotional impact of Smith’s rendition. Blossoms recognised him from one of his videos as he was watching them from the crowd and invited him backstage, while Morrissey - not a man known to lavish praise or endorsements on others - played Smith’s cover of Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want as his walk on music on a recent US tour. Nile Rogers, James frontman Tim Booth, indie legends The Coral, and many more besides have shared footage of his performances across the globe.
“It’s never normal. Every single time it happens it’s surreal,” reflects Smith on the countless pinch-me moments of his career so far. “Music is always what I wanted to do. I just fell in love with it. I asked for guitar lessons when I was four. It’s all I’ve ever known.”
Having achieved so much so soon you might think Smith would be content to rest on his laurels a bit. Been there, done that sort of thing; fire up the PS4 and tell your mates about that time you played Glastonbury. All his achievements so far have done though is to stoke Smith’s creative fire and make him want to achieve more as an artist, a performer and a songwriter.
Tom A. Smith’s debut EP ‘EP 1’ is out February 25th.
DISCOVER TOM A. SMITH