Everett Thomas
Everett Thomas
Genres: accoustic, folk
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About Everett Thomas
With the lines of the artistry and industry being blurred together more everyday, singer/songwriters seem to get categorized as either full-fledged commercial superstars or pensive underground poets. St. Louis-bred/Wisconsin-based troubadour Everett Thomas certainly falls into that latter category, though he's quickly ascending beyond a niche in-the-know to become one of the Midwest's most authentic and accomplished tunesmiths who's already opened for the lauded likes of Nickel Creek's Sean and Sara Watkins, G. Love & Special Sauce, Over the Rhine, Lifehouse, The Wood Brothers and Matt Nathanson. Music lovers of all associations can certainly decide for themselves on his national debut Visions of the Sea on Skies Fall Records, the ambitious entertainer seamlessly weaves aggressive folk, Americana and alternative country with an underlying soulfulness and grit accentuated by a lifetime of blues appreciation. "I love Dylan, ya know? And Tom Waits, and Neil Young," the casual but creative Thomas unveils over a cup of coffee. "I think a lot of times those guys can get thrown in the same barrel, but to me they couldn't be more different. Dylan's songs are like reading the Bible or something. Tom Waits sounds like a street performer outside of a circus tent run by the devil. The Velvet Underground sometimes sounds like I am listening to outer space. I love that. I love listening to Otis Redding, James Brown and Wilson Pickett, too. And James Carr man; no one sings like that guy." Though he's remarkably introspective when putting pen to the paper, Thomas also excels at his acoustic guitar-driven swath, though he sometimes expands with a full backing band anchored in rootsy inclinations via guitars, pianos, percussion and harmonica accents. The combined sounds on Visions of the Sea shows this innovative artist as a compelling work in progress, who isn't afraid to grow up musically and personally right alongside his listeners and continuously push the envelope of self-discovery, coupled with genuine relatability. "I really love the process of this record because it was growing up as I was growing up. Some of these songs were written five years ago," the now 24-year-old admits. "I like the fact that it's evidence I'm in a process of growing and becoming. You can hear it in the songs. I feel like I ask a lot of questions on this record. I don't have the answers, but I feel like the album is very relatable. It's quite honest." Visions of the Sea is also loaded with sophisticated musicality, such as the country-infused "Claire," which literally traces the stylistic square dance ghosts of Hank Williams and Porter Wagoner as it realizes the true value of a relationship after it dissolves. The understated simplicity of "Spanish Mission Bell" is just as poignant, showcasing Thomas' candidness and vulnerability both as a lyricist and six-string strummer. Other standouts include the New Orleans-inspired "Herald of Hope," an unintentional gospel ditty that rumbles with train wheel-like percussion rotations, alongside the organic warmth of "Firesong." "'Firesong' asks a lot of questions," he confirms of the lead single. "We will listen to anything anyone tells us- our parents, principals and presidents- you know? Instead of taking it as the grain of salt that it is, we accept it all as truth. In the end when we are alone and all that's left are these truths that we base our life on, we're gonna wish we thought for ourselves. I don't really have an agenda. It's just a ‘think out loud' kind of thing that hopefully other people can feel as well. As for the provocative title Visions of the Sea, it stems from time spent at Thomas' lakefront home. "The sea is always moving; it's incredibly uncertain," he asserts. "In a moment it is our keeper, and in the next, it's leveling a city. It is uncontrollable and always in a state of movement, never really finding peace. I spend a lot of time there. It haunts me and sustains me at the same time, so Visions of the Sea is the most literal and honest name I could give the record." At the end of the day, Thomas wants to take listeners with him on that unpredictable journey of navigating through life's ups and downs, but regardless of how the public reacts, it's a pattern he'll continue well into the foreseeable future. More than merely a career, music is a way of life for this performer, who hopes his songs will find more substantial philosophical roots than simply tangible sales or industry accolades. "This is the only option I've given myself," Thomas concludes of his career choice. "I'd obviously love loads of people to hear it, but I don't really think about that. Whether this album does well commercially or not doesn't influence how I'm thinking at this point. I am going to keep making records, man. I am going to make another album and another album after that. I guess I just hope the album lives and grows. You know, like it evolves in meaning and the songs speak differently in five years, and that it never really dies. Good art does that I think. I want to do well, but it isn't what moves me. Being able to create without rules or limitation- that's what drives me. I just want to keep moving and getting better."
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