Tom Rhodes

“With Or Without, the fourth self-released album from East Bay singer-songwriter Tom Rhodes, has taken the concept of a live album — the attempt to capture that specific face-to-face, performer-audience magic — and distilled it like a fine whiskey.” - SF Bay Guardian

“The warm, blinding glare of a spotlight, crooned intimacies of the recesses of one’s mind, and the vibrations of guitar chords beneath one’s fingertips are the musical performer’s cross to bear. There’s no doubt that it takes a special, brazen human-being to allow themselves to be so vulnerable. One such unabashed stage-inhabiter...” - Encore Magazine

“Better Son” evokes a prime-of-life sentiment, something staggering for such a young man; Rhodes plays with more soul and goes even further into the music’s emotive depth…” - Encore Magazine

Somehow with minimal instrumentation and effort, Rhodes' sound is BIG. Rhodes' music elegantly balances on a tight rope of country, blues, and alternative without allowing the listener to pigeonhole his style. Several songs are clearly "hit" material and with a new CD and a very strong band, as well as the ambition, Rhodes will likely find a home at a major or well-known independent. - Gabriel Levitt

There is an unfortunate tendency in Williamsburg for assigning the singer/songwriter label to acoustic artists. Part of this is the fault of bands and sound engineers at venues, who both seem to seem determined to pump the guitar volume into the stratosphere, drowning out the very thing that often helps to define a band more than anything else: its lyrics. But Paul Westerberg is a singer/songwriter. So is Bob Mould. And while the riffs and feedback deliver visceral impact, these writers would be nothing without the words they pen. Brooklyn rocker Tom Rhodes understands this. With one foot in North Carolina and one in the Bushwick apartment he still pays rent on, Rhodes is back with a new record entitled No Apologies. Cranking up the amps, but making sure that his poignant lyrics are clearly understood, he has assembled an impressive cast of Brooklyn’s finest and crafted a lyrical testament to following one’s heart on all cylinders, flipping off anyone who advises otherwise.

Mixing love, remorse and nostalgia into the CD's centerpiece, title track lays out Rhodes' intentions clearly: there are no hipster gimmicks on this record, just rock. No Apologies plays like the best Eagles material, with genre bending that never strays too far from rootsy, guitar-driven arrangements. And he's got the campy, Exile-era chick backing vocals to seal the deal. The other songs continue in this autobiographical vein, tracing Rhodes' steps over the past few years in the Brooklyn scene. "One Black Pearl" is a revved-up ballad for everyone who remembers the Goo Goo Dolls when they were unknown, talented indie songsmiths. On "Four Bare Walls," the artist ponders the strength it takes to break the mental boundaries that keep an artists from "going for it." He continues this internal dialogue on another reggae-influenced song entitled "Breathe." In anyone else’s hands, "Big Rock Star" would be an abrasive, ironic snorefest. Tom Rhodes is a big rock star and when he steps up to the mike, it’s to fire his charisma across the room. The song kicks off the second half of the record and Rhodes reveals a bit more of that trademark, wise-ass charm of his stage (and offstage) persona. Throw in a couple of love & lost numbers, filled with slow dances, Chelsea Hotel breakfasts and drunken shenanigans... the picture is now complete.

While the songs are set in the context of a songwriter's life, Rhodes the imagery is carefully selected for open interpretation, particularly in the choruses. “Sometimes the best way to learn something is to teach someone,” says Rhodes, reflecting on how he writes his sings for himself as well as others. “Going for it” is a way of life that our hero endorses for everyone, on stage and in the audience. If a fan takes the time to soak in the message, get off their ass and make the most of their existence, Tom Rhodes has done his duty.

While 2004’s Tom Rhodes had its creator handling most of the instruments himself, the new project feels more like a family affair. The credits for No Apologies read like The All-Star Jezebel Songwriter Playbook. Len Monachello (All Night Chemists), Doug Siegel and Kat Hayman are just a few of the talented musicians who contributed to the recording. Sonically, the record is (as Rhodes puts it) "lo-fi with good microphones." Engineer Willie Breeding helped to conjure up some killer sounds using this approach. Acoustic guitars chime away, guitars rip when necessary, organs swirl on cue, and Gasper Bertoncelj's drums sound fantastic. It is unclear as to whether or not Rhodes will be working with this Brooklyn crew again. A country boy at heart, the songwriter spent a lot of time living on farms before he came to NYC, and sadly, it seems as if he's ready to ramble back in that direction again...

There's a well worn path between New York City and North Carolina, and if you're traveling along it, you'll meet musicians headed for the city to seek their fortune, as well as folks who are headed south for the same reason. The last time I was in Chapel Hill, I met a transplant bartender from the Big Apple who explained the lure of the southern indie rock haven: "I make less money and work more, but somehow I have more money and time for my music than I ever did in New York." Rhodes sees this potential in his new home as well and is currently juggling the benefits of both locales: networking potential up North and musicians who actually have time to tour down South. "Before I moved to NYC and was working as a solo guy with an acoustic, I always played in rock bands... I've always been a rock guy," says Rhodes. The next chapter in this troubadour's story will introduce a new band that Rhodes will take on the road, Stateside and beyond. Thursday's rock show at Galapagos will be a scorcher with his Brooklyn family, closing a chapter that might as well have been titled, "The Loudest, Drunkest, Drop-Dead-Talented, Gotta-Love-Him, Not-Necessarily-in-That-Order, Brooklyn Singer/Songwriter Who E - Ben Krieger

The status of acoustic singer/songwriter takes a back seat with Tom Rhodes’ latest release, No Apologies. Gone are the days of haunting introspections and soft-laden melodies. No Apologies touts the musician’s own version of feel-good rock ‘n’ roll. He’s got a brand new band, musical style and tour, and he’s bringing it all to the Soapbox Laundro Lounge on December 2nd for his North Carolina CD release party.

The latest product of his creative toils is 15 songs strong. While it most definitely marks a change in pace, his passion for music is still forthright and respectable. In fact, Rhodes is no stranger to the distance an artist must go in order to achieve a little R’ and R’—recognition and respect.

The album peaks right away, full of vigor and setting a buoyant tone with the toe-tapping “Tonight.” Rhodes takes his voice to powerful heights, no wimpy falsetto in sight. It’s accompanied genially with upbeat drumming and a repetitive chorus that will have you singing along upon its second refrain. I immediately wanted to classify Tom’s sound as “radio rock” but soon found I had counted my chickens.

Tom is not afraid to dive generously into other genres as well. He sweeps in and out of low-key moods and high-energy tempos with ease and fluidity, reflecting many hours of experience. Especially plentiful in his music is the realm of alt-country (“Overrated”)—and for all of you who are a fan of the genre, Rhodes does it justice. He even wades a bit into reggae-influenced sounds (“Four Bare Walls”), which make for an interesting new layer to the album, adding to it an element of surprise.

Keeping it all glued together, however, are Rhodes’ consistent voice and thoughtful lyrics. Sometimes pensive, sometimes playful, the lyrics are no doubt a big part of his appeal. “They call it ‘mental hygiene,’” he quips on track five. “I’m just here for a cleaning/trying to make a little green/and get up and stay out.” Even though Rhodes has teetered away from the singer/songwriter style, his forte of writing is still raw and reflective.

In “Rock Star,” he pokes fun at his lead-singer status. “What’d you say/you met me at the bar?/Well, I don’t remember you/but I’m a big rock star.” He seems to be having a good time ridiculing rock ‘n’ roll airs. Thus, he’s a musician who doesn’t take himself so seriously as to not enjoy himself and his craft.

However, it wasn’t until the album’s title song that I really felt I was beginning to know the artist a little better. As opposed to ‘90s grunge-rock band Nirvana and their classic “All Apologies,” Rhodes claims instead to have “No Apologies,” singing: “... See you’re no longer ground-breaking/you’re just mildly amusing/and you shock me to grab me/but in the long run you’re losing/When your shock wears off/your money’s gonna fall away/I’ve got no apologies.”

As it turns out, Tom Rhodes really doesn’t have much to apologize for. No Apologies is a fresh juxtaposition of genres with a truly down-to-earth lead singer at its helm and some really catchy hooks thrown in the mix. Followers of Rhodes have seen his music evolve, and few can deny that although many songs seem to have air-wave potential, there’s enough of that certain rough-around-the-edges quality that sets him apart.

Also on the bill Saturday night for Rhodes’ official CD release party is Sam Fisher, another up-and-comer on the Wilmington scene. Fisher is noted in the thank you section of the No Apologies jacket cover, and I have all ideas that such a camaraderie will make for a stellar combination at the live show.

To preview Rhodes’ tunes before you hit the town this weekend, check him out at www.tomrhodesmusic.com. - Emily Rea, Encore

It wouldn’t be fair to call Brooklyn-based musician Tom Rhodes a damn yankee. Even though he lives in the city, when you hear his sing-song, long-vowel annunciations, you’ll believe he’s a Southerner at heart. He kind-of is, really, having been reared in a Texan household in Houston.

But it isn’t the locale in which Rhodes makes music that pigeonholes his sound. Oh no. His music comes from an amalgamation of places, people and stories that make him a singer/songwriter for Anywhere, USA.

“I was too young when I moved out of Texas to grow up in the music scene there,” Rhodes remembers of his youth, before he was making music as a career at the ripe young age of 16. “But I did learn my chops in Washington. I played in tons of cover bands before I realized that I didn’t want to play other people’s music.”
Rhodes’ originality began to shine through, as he played to anyone who would listen, anywhere—not discounting the occasional small party at a friend’s house nor the public transportation system.
“In New York I had my ass handed to me and wound up playing in subways for a while ... New York is that kind of place: One day you're singing on the subway, the next day you’re putting out your second record and everybody loves you,” he claims.

Rhodes’ first record, a self-titled release, features many lilting melodies, perfect for sleepy-eyed mornings. There are also upbeat, cultural sounds suited for road trips that may lead you to new life endeavors. On one song, you will hear his light finger picks, which conjure images of lazy, beach-ladened days. The next song may escort you into self-examination—one that will leave your head reeling in the midst of a dark room. The nuances and nostalgia offered through it all make Rhodes a musician easily adaptable to any musical palette in any household—or railway, for that matter.

“I guess that my music shows a bit of a blend of quite a few influences,” Rhodes examines. “I think it’s a lot of fun to take styles that are almost juxtaposed ... It adds a bit of tension and makes you think a bit about the music.”

A writer at The NY Times compared Rhodes to Ryan Adams and Coldplay. That seems like an easy way out of really describing his sound; an easy way out of truly listening to what’s being composed. He nearly perfects pairing the rough twang of his voice with soft subtleties of his chord progressions. They’re paradoxical in nature, sealing the cushiness of a nursery rhyme with the edginess of a warbly-voiced, emotive man. Altogether, he shares stories of lessons learned and truths almost forgotten. The outcome encrusts the singer/songwriter sound with a rock ‘n’ roll edge.

It’s the “rock ‘n’ roll” part of the equation he’s most excited about presenting on his second CD, No Apologies, to be released late spring, early summer. It’s a step away from his normal singer/songwriter routine. Naturally, it has provided Rhodes with a new repertoire, 15 songs strong.

“My favorite tune is actually the slowest one, ‘Monique.’” he shares. “It feels like I am tearing my own guts out when I’m singing it. I’m almost embarrassed to sing the song; that means I hit the nerve in myself that I was going for.”

This nerve is what every musician aspires to strike. It’s the soul of sound, the actuality of emotion bleeding through music. It provides the verve needed for them to continuie playing, even after endless evenings of songwriting and studio recording. Holding down a musician with a message and a few chords is like holding back Gabby Abby at a telemarketer’s conference.

“I do get tired of playing guitar,” Rhodes admits, willingly but not without solution. “When I get bored of playing the guitar, I just sit down at the piano or play drums for a while. The beauty of the guitar is its portability, though. I always have one in pretty much every room, so I can just pick it up whenever I want to play.”

Learning how to play on a “cheap Eighties Japanese junker,” Rhodes always watched his brother and friends tool around on the instrument. He eventually pieced together chords, playing different variations of G, C and D.

“It’s not dissimilar from what I do now,” he shares of today’s music process—a process that’s moved him out of his Houston household, where he credits his mother’s and father’s dilettantish tastes for his commixture of sound. This sound will be permeating the brick walls of Water Street Restaurant, tonight at 7pm, and at the Juggling Gypsy on the 8th at 9pm. Check him out. - Shea Carver

Paste Magazine chose Tom Rhodes and his second self-released album, No Apologies, for their Paste Recommends program for Dec. 2007/Jan. 2008.

Check it out at www.pastemagazine.com/recommends. - Paste Magazine

Tom Rhodes' songs are as haunting as Coldplay, as playful as Bjork, and his lyrics are as well crafted as Ryan Adams. - Judith Schlieper

Tom Rhodes “With or Without” is as warm and as real as a group of friends gathered around the campfire. Honest, sincere, and raw, “With or Without” is the sound of country music done right. Vocals drive the whole thing, as Tom Rhodes’ voice is without peer. His band is amazing as well, knowing when to whisper and when to rise up with his powerful lyrics. Everything feels perfect: from the large overall catchiness of the pieces to the smallest detail, it is all there and it is all right.

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/tom-rhodes/id930296592

Audio: http://tomrhodes.bandcamp.com/

“Cold and Deep” opens the album off on a spry note. The rhythm is fast, the guitar work nimble, and the chorus a nice touch. For the final moments the song takes on a rollicking carefree feeling ending things off on a high note. Opting for a whisper is the intimate “Heartland” whose soulful introspective vibe make it one of the best songs on the entire album. A comfortable groove takes hold for “Connection of Minds”. “It’s Still True” resembles the sweet optimism of early mornings. The band works wonders on the earnest “Nobody’s Listening”. Comfortable and catchy is the album’s heart “Calling Out”. Distilled to Americana perfection is the graceful “Bread and Roses”. Finishing the collection off on a quiet note is the hopeful “California”.

“With or Without” is a diamond in the rough: an album tasteful, restrained, and devoid of cynicism. It is a beautiful thing to behold. - Skope Magazine