Singer/songwriter
Tom Burris is also a published author who has taught creative writing, and it's not impossible to guess that after a listen to his first album,
For Sale.
Burris is not a bad singer (imagine the love child of Dave Wakeling and
Pat DiNizio), and his melodies are solid enough (if a bit on the basic side), but it's obvious that the real selling point is meant to be his lyrics, and the guy certainly sounds literary as all get out.
Burris has a genuine knack for capturing characters and incidents with words, and the best songs here play a bit like short stories, particularly "The Fisherman," "The Voice of Gideon," and "Sailor Song." However, while
Burris can certainly write a solid character, he doesn't always sound quite so comfortable bringing them to life, and while careful scrutiny reveals the diversity of
Burris' themes and approaches, the album sounds awful samey as a casual listen. And while producer John Alagia has created some fine backdrops for
Burris' songs, the singer often sounds a bit low in the mix, which hardly helps matters when the whole show is riding on the lyrics. For Sale certainly shows that
Tom Burris has talent, but the album also suggests he has the potential to make a stronger album under different circumstances, and one can only hope that will happen. ~ Mark Deming