Nataliez World
http://www.nataliezworld.com/2018/05/tom-esch-i-just-cant-believe-its-true.html
Natalie Perez
Upon listening to alternative, indie, rocker Tom Esch’s works, his influences and a lot of his overall sound, comes out 90’s as he says. Due to the fact that a lot of the artists had struck the big time, such as The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Elliott Smith and Fiona Apple to name some that Tom Esch says his music sounds like, and it just so happens that he is not only a musician, but a DIY one at that, along with being based in Seattle.
One of the many spots, where acts of the grunge, rock, indie alternative scene came to be known, like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains. While The Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana, were from elsewhere. Tom Esch’s sound of style, is more in the range of the Seattle front. Not sounding precisely like Soundgarden or even Pearl Jam status, but more on the level of Elliott Smith mixed with Fiona Apple.
When listening in to his track “I Just Can’t Believe It’s True”, off his most recent release “The Modern Devices”, EP, the release as a whole, is a tossup between the acts mentioned prior, down to Tom Esch being an act that stands alone. His instrumental works, being acoustic blended with electric. At times the tracks off the EP, being heard to depict of which is which. But in the case of that track “I Just Can’t Believe It’s True”, it sounds right in the middle of being acoustic and electric. A combination that works in his favor, and overall for him as a musician.
The track plays off pretty much, as being upbeat and rather catching to the ears. Like when listening, you may find yourself tapping your feet to the beat, whilst even singing along to the lyrics, as they slowly grow on you. As for the instrumental portion of the entirety of the track, the guitars, bass, and drum works, create this tone that becomes a bit repetitive yet spunky. Whereas the vocalization side of the track, is mellow yet vibrant in tone. In other words, everything just comes together to sound just right, that it will be a track of sorts, that will be joyful yet wholesome and true, as the song title and its contents foretells.
Speaking of which, the lyrical context of the track, are just that, dealing with not being able to believe in the truth. You find yourself wanting to believe, but you cannot bring yourself to knowing if it is true or false, but in reality of it all, it is likely true. It is a back and forth type of energy of emotion, with the words that express what’s within.
Tom Esch as an artist though, is one who has got originality and a lot of uniqueness to his works. “I Just Can’t Believe It’s True”, off his EP “The Modern Devices”, is another one of those types of hit or miss opportunities, that just needs to be taken in, for what it is worth. After the first listen, he may just be an act you will follow from point A to B each time something new is about.