Tom Freund – North American Long Weekend
While Tom Freund chose his song “North American Long Weekend” for his album title, he could use another song, “Beautiful Sadness”, to describe his sound. Like journal entries from a forlorn English major, Freund writes are carefully crafted, highly introspective tunes.
On this, his debut solo disc (Freund formerly played bass with the Silos), he demonstrates a knack for literate, self-reflective writing. In “Holden Caulfield” (the title revealing his literary bent), he confesses: “She taught me how to cry/In the face of a screwed up adult world.” The title track, meanwhile, caustically asks: “How much more call waiting/Can I stand,” and also, “What do we live for?/To see what we can buy?/Compare our vehicles in the snow.”
That song’s rocked-up sound also generates a needed energy boost to the otherwise somber, ballad-filled album. His lyrics, generally, are stronger than his melodies. A couple more uptempo moments and a few more hooks could bring a little relief to the record’s heavily pensive mood. Freund’s low-key, slightly hoarse vocals suit his contemplative songs, but his often languid singing style isn’t compelling enough to pull you fully in.
With producer Marvin Etzioni (of Lone Justice fame), Freund inventively expands the typical folky singer-songwriter sound to include string arrangements, jazz accents, and even a couple Beatlesque fade-out/fade-in codas (along with a cover of “Cry Baby Cry”). A stellar supporting cast includes legend Jimmy Smith on Hammond B3, former Elvis Presley sideman Jerry Scheff on bass, Wallflowers keyboardist Rami Jaffee, and the ubiquitous Greg Leisz on pedal steel.
While Freund’s poetic melancholia can become a bit too oppressive, his sharp imagery and poignant soul-baring make North American Long Weekend an intriguing, if not totally captivating, debut.