Tom Moran

New York folk artist Tom Moran released his full-length debut album, Roommate of a Friend of Mine, at summer’s end in 2021. It’s earmarked by folk songwriting, relaxed and reflective, that feels reminiscent of the season. “Oh Darling” does well to represent a record noted for its sensitives, with a yearning Moran reflecting on his days of childhood infatuation. His croon is met by soft guitar melodies, subtle bass, and a moving fiddle that completes the performance’s warm center.

Now, Moran debuts a lyric video for the tune. Featuring his drawings alongside animation by James Morano, the video captures the song’s sweet sentiments in a set piece.

Tom Moran - Oh Darling (Lyric Video)
Moran says, “To make this video, I wrote the lyrics out line by line and then drew whatever images came to mind based on that particular lyric. Some of the lyrics I’d interpret literally, Like ‘Polaroid’ or ‘leather boots’. For other lines, I’d come up with something based on a feeling and try not to think about it too much. In the end, a visual story developed on its own. I tried to let the visual story create itself, which is the same way I approach songwriting.

“For me, ‘Oh Darling’ has been around for a long time. When I sing it, I feel like I’m singing a cover, but in a good way. The song means a lot to me, but an old version of myself wrote it. Sometimes when I play it live, someone will ask, ‘Is that a cover?’ Whenever someone asks me if a song of mine is a cover, I take it as a big compliment. I hope that someday it really is a cover!” - PopMatters

When singer/songwriter Tom Moran makes reference to scenes like being stuck in traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, he’s not trying to get you to imagine yourself in a romanticized version of the Big Apple. He’s just a person trying to get home. And in the rare instances where famous landmarks appear on his full-length debut Roommate of a Friend of Mine, Moran strips away the glow of coolness that so often enshrouds them, making space for the kind of quiet introspection we rarely associate with the metropolitan grind.

Roommate of a Friend of Mine is an album that very much points you back down to earth with songs that find their way to wherever you happen to be, to hit you where you live in every sense of the term. One can feel out of place—and learn how to find one’s place—anywhere. And it’s between those two poles of experience that a lifetime’s worth of highly relatable, almost beautifully mundane, interactions unfolds across the ten slice-of-life turns of rippling folk-pop the album showcases.

Today Glide is excited to premiere the video for Moran’s song “Hermit.” This harmonica-laden tune falls in the vein of classic folk with just a touch of pop sensibility. Moran shares lyrics that are direct and vivid, painting a picture that finds him showing his vulnerability as a songwriter. The simple acoustic arrangement lends itself to the vocals and lyrics, which shine in a way that is both melancholy and nostalgic. The footage of Moran wandering amidst fall foliage and penning songs in a notebook makes you associate it with being a perfect soundtrack for autumn when there is a touch of sadness at the fading of summer and its vibrant memories.

Moran describes the inspiration behind the song:



“Hermit is one of my oldest songs. I wrote it when I was 16. It was the first song people seemed to really react to. I remember a friend of mine who was a big metal head told me it made him cry, so I’ve never stopped playing it. Not that my goal is to make metal heads cry, I just want to write songs that people can connect to.” - Glide Magazine

Though Tom Moran swears he’s not currently in love, his debut album is a collection of tender, breezy love songs that he’s been accumulating.

After years performing in various bands, the New York-based songwriter is stepping out on his own with Roommate of a Friend of Mine.

Big Takeover is pleased to host the premiere of the heartfelt album in its entirety today.

Gently strummed acoustic guitars are backed by brisk drumming, flourishes of harmonica and piano, and the occasional pull of violins. It’s an assured collection that stuns in its confidence, and puts Moran’s talent for writing concise pop songs on full display.

The title track erupts with charming energy, recalling a dreamlike night out in New York that has you pinching yourself, engulfed in the butterflies of budding love. It’s a perfect introduction to the diarist, miniature stories each song paints.

On “Stay”, an anxious lover makes their case for why their partner should remain, ultimately coming to the conclusion that only they make that decision. Delicate piano riffs backlight the sprightly guitars and soft snare roll that propels the track.

Moran explains that “Hermit” is one of his oldest songs, written when he was only 16. It’s rustic and earthy charm feels wise beyond the experiences of a teenager, and the song has stuck around due to its impact on audience members. “I remember a friend of mine who was a big metal head told me it made him cry, so I’ve never stopped playing it,” he says.

Outside of the excellent songs he’s shared ahead of the record’s release today, there are gems aplenty. The sparkling guitars and splash of reverb on his voice puts “Virgin Smile” somewhere in the same universe as Red House Painters, though Moran’s open-hearted voice brings a ray of sunshine to the emotional song.

“Secret Emotion” features some soaring synths that accompany the song’s nostalgic atmosphere. The chorus on “She’s Gonna Be Happy” feels like a lost ’90s hit. Instantly memorable, it could easily fit on the closing credits of a happily-ever-after rom com.

Across the 10-song collection, Moran paints relatable, everyday stories of love, and the difficulties of navigating it. It’s a record full of moments we’ve all experienced, and a perfect soundtrack for these final summer nights. - Big Takeover Exclusives

New York City singer/songwriter Tom Moran is making his full-length debut this fall with his new album, Roommate of a Friend of Mine. After playing in bands for years, Moran is branching out into solitary folk pop with his solo debut, playing all the instruments himself and joined only by his close friend on production, Ray Marte of prog metal outfit Moon Tooth. Moran has already shared the title track from the record and today he’s back with the follow-up, “Stay,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Stay” exemplifies the bright-eyed and open-hearted folk pop Moran does so well. Chugging acoustic guitar, twinkling piano accents, and sun-lit melodies carry the song, all while Moran offers a gentle plea for a lover to stay. What shines through most though is Moran’s dreamer’s heart and steadfast optimism. The core of the song lies not in the depths of loneliness, but in a heartfelt daydream一“I was dreaming in the day/I was absent out in space/Or as I’d prefer to say/I was wide awake /In a clear and striking dream.

As Moran explains, “Stay is a very direct song lyrically, and it says you should stay, and here’s all the important reasons why. I see it as a song about a well-intentioned person in denial, because you can’t convince anyone to stick around, they have to choose to on their own.”

Check out the song and accompanying video below. Roommate of a Friend of Mine is out everywhere on September 24th. - Under The Radar