BE THERE FOR YOU
If you’ve never heard Tom Jenkins before, you’ll wonder why not after listening to this single. Tom is an incredibly talented singer and songwriter, with an expansive voice, sometimes soulful and mellow, sometimes plaintive – it’s the kind of voice which really speaks into your soul.
This man has a real gift for words too – you can sense that immediately from the titles he gives to his records (his upcoming album is It Comes In The Morning, It Hangs In The Evening Sky; his last one was When The Coal Dust Settles), and once you’re into the songs, the beautifully-understated, transparent lyricism is a key feature.
Be There For You starts with a simple, direct line: “I left you at the train station, tears rolling down your face”, and Tom delivers this with full strength, launching straight in without wasting a moment: there’s a sense that Tom has a vital message to get across. He’s longing to open his heart and share his life with you.
Meanwhile, the underlying music carefully tracks a fine line along the borders of indie-rock, country and modern folk. It starts with layered electric and acoustic guitars; nicely muted drums provide a firm rhythmical foundation; and you soon become aware of a lilted piano joining in.
In Be There For You, Tom sets out to explore themes of wistful loneliness, as well as freedom and discovery, seeking to paint a picture of a life lived in an expansive and solitary setting.
“The song reflects on my time working in the isolated New Zealand back country and being very far from loved ones in a lonesome landscape, with a landline that would only receive calls as the sole point of contact,” explains Tom.
That inspiring mix of emotions makes for a really good listen, and the organic instrumentation works very effectively in the context.
Judging by this release, Tom’s second solo album It Comes In The Morning, It Hangs In The Evening Sky is one to look forward to. It’s scheduled for release on 25th November on the Xtra Mile Recordings label.
Tom has recently embarked on a jam-packed UK tour schedule, including a number of dates supporting Skinny Lister and others with Cardinal Black. Tickets are still available, so go catch him if you can.
Listen to ‘Be There For You’ Here Now.
FOLLOW TOM JENKINS
TOM JENKINS – UK DATES
OCTOBER
5 – The Cavern, Exeter +
8 – The Flower Pot , Derby +
15 – Live At Leeds, Leeds
23 – SWN Festival, Cardiff
NOVEMBER
18 – The Globe, Cardiff*
23 – Old Fire Station, Bournemouth*
24 – Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes*
26 – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham*
DECEMBER
1-Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth*
2 – Forum, Tunbridge Wells*
3- O2 Academy, Oxford*
7 – Caves, Edinburgh*
8- Gorilla, Manchester*
9 – University, Newcastle*
10 – Thekla, Bristol*
14 – Y Theatre, Leicester
15 – KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton*
16 – Stylus, Leeds*
*supporting Skinny Lister + Supporting Cardinal Black
Words by Phil Taylor
Photo: Drew Roxanne
The songbird 