Robert Earl Thomas made three albums as guitarist for the Molly Hamilton-led indie rock group
Widowspeak before starting to write and record music of his own at home. He also spent two weeks in 2016 laying down tracks in a proper studio with
Almanac producer Kevin McMahon before rejoining
Widowspeak for their 2017 release,
Expect the Best. Back on his own,
Thomas combined those studio tracks with two years' worth of his home recordings to fashion his first solo album,
Another Age. Sharing his band's hazy, relaxed vibe, but with a perhaps even dreamier disposition, the album carries an expansive sound that can evoke a lower-fi cousin of
the War on Drugs, with traces of common influences like
Bruce Springsteen,
Dire Straits, and
Tom Petty. The sprawling, seven-and-a-half-minute "Crying," for instance, opens with slowly swirling synths and gently chiming guitar before
Thomas enters with a half-spoken vocal to set the scene. The song eventually picks up drums, rhythm guitar, and backing vocals as he recalls a late-night driving companion crying -- "but not for me." Lengthy instrumental passages with melodic motifs that saunter and electronics that shimmer capture the wheels turning on pavement and tears flowing above, without interruption. These types of unhurried tableaus are complemented by lyrics about memories, the passage of time, how things never stay the same, and efforts to determine what's real. There are at least a couple outright catchy ditties on board, too, including "The Weather." Its uptempo jangle and earworm chorus still has a cushiony, '70s-AM-radio veneer and understated vocal delivery in keeping with the rest of the album. On the whole,
Another Age has enough in common with
Widowspeak to appeal to many of their fans, but
Thomas distinguishes himself as a songwriter and a producer on an album that has a vision all its own. [
Another Age was also released on LP.] ~ Marcy Donelson