The description of Tom Slatter's music is that he sounds like if Nick Cave started writing songs with Genesis after watching too many episodes of Dr Who. I knew I was already at a disadvantage since I don't care for Nick Cave and I have never watched Dr. Who
and I am not a HUGE sci-fi fan. So where does that leave me when listening to his new album "Fit the Fourth?"
Well musically I really enjoy the album as a whole. Tom is a very good songwriter and even more impressive is that he plays all of the instruments (save for a few bass guitar parts) himself. The opening track "Some of the Creatures Have Broken the Locks on the Door to Lab 558" is very sci-fi as you can tell from the title and it's an alien experiment that has gone completely wrong. The lyrics are clever and the song itself is quite catchy.
From there the lyrics lose me. I do get the general idea but it feels a bit like I missed the first movie of a trilogy or something. Seven Bells John is an accused murderer and the songs
chronicle his trial. Of the remaining tracks, I do like the epic "Seven Bells Redeemed" the best and that's is because it is an epic. Overall the song is well executed and played, though some of the transitions do feel a bit awkward.
Those progheads who are into the "steampunk" genre and sci-fi will love this album. Tom is very talented and a very good storyteller, even if you are a dumb American who doesn't know what "steampunk" really is!
