Album Review :
Lo Tom - Lo Tom

This is a fun record, that’s really easy to listen to. It’s not really ground-breaking, just straight-forward indie rock with really warm guitar tones. While there’s not a lot of distinction between the guitar and bass, for some reason that’s not a bad thing, it just adds to the simplicity.

Most readers probably already realize Lo Tom is basically an indie rock supergroup, featuring: David Bazan (Pedro the Lion, Headphones, solo), TW Walsh (Pedro the Lion, The Soft Drugs, solo), Trey Many (Velour 100, His Name is Alive, Liquorice, TW Walsh), and Jason Martin (Starflyer 59, Bon Voyage, Dance House Children, White Lighter). This is not to mention countless other acts these individuals have played with—either or tour or on record, or in production credits.

While all of the members have been involved in the Christian scene, or at least adjacent to it, that doesn’t necessarily make this a ‘Christian band,’ which is not even to consider the many ramifications and definitions of that term. Bazan is a fairly famous ex-Christian, whereas Martin is in one of the longest-running Christian indie bands still going and Walsh and Many have both been around but never been all that vocal about faith issues in their recordings. None of that bears on the music, of course, which is good quality indie rock. But I mention here as some readers will be curious.

Lyrically, the band deal often in cryptic yet personal topics that address vulnerability, like in “Lower Down:”

You don’t know what they might see
If you let down your guard
You’re a fool and you know it
Come on, don’t be afraid to show it

Or promiscuity, like in “Bubblegum:”

Every morning you got bubblegum in your hair
You blink your eyes and wonder how did it even get there
It’s not even the flavor of gum you chew
But either way your head’s stuck to your pillow
What’s wrong with you?

All in all, this is a good listen, even if it’s not the spiritual content some might hope for.