Tyne Darling: The Secret November – Music Review

It’s amazing how we never think of identity and it’s subtle importance in life. We have many roles in our lives, son, daughter, mother, brother, friend, teacher, student etc. Singer/songwriter Tom Vollman has had many years in the music scene of the mid-west since 2006, slowly making a name for himself. He is also known as Tyne Darling, and it is

under this guise that he has put out a terrific new album The Secret November, based on his travels around the country. Whether this deliberate slight-of-hand with his name is to actually draw more attention to the music and let it guide your ears opinion, is in question. The quality of the songs however, it not up for debate at all.

Starting off with many tracks written and recorded about New York City, The Secret November has a haunted quality to the songs of an older, wizened song-smith. “L.E.S.” wasn’t written as a reaction to the recent hardships that area has befallen after Hurricane Sandy, but to this NY born kid, it may as well have been. With some nice backing instrumentation in it, “Three” is very wistful sounding and a little sad. “Echo/Gold” is so deep and soulful, it almost reminds me of a CARPENTER’S song. It is a perfect track and the one I would choose as a single. “The Highline” is another strong track with a bit of DAVE GROHL/MIKE NESS strum and strut as well. It definitely has a bit of a CowPunk jangle that you don’t hear enough anymore in modern rock music. More introspection comes in from tracks like “Rollers”, “Untitled” and “Clifton”. You have to wonder what demons have been chasing this writer around, since all of the tunes seem to have this sense of yearning couched with just a little tiny bit of sunshine. Other top tracks include “Maybeline” and “Violet”. The album ends on a very clever beat as the last few notes of “The New York Palace” seem to hint at a return to the theme of the albums’ opener. This gives a nice bit of closure musically and makes this old soul, by whatever name he goes by… a name to watch.

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For More Information Visit:
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http://tynedarling.bandcamp.com
http://www.myspace.com/tynedarling
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/TyneDarling

 

Author: Keith Chachkes