I met Tom Weber on Instagram during the early days of the Pandemic. We've never actually met face to face, or even spoken on the phone, but due to the wonders of modern technology we've been able to keep in touch bonding over a mutual appreciation of some of our favourite bands. Including the Psychedelic Furs and New Order, a band who I was lucky enough to play support to back in the day.
Having become more familiar with his work of late, I've realised he must qualify as one of the hardest working children's musicians around. His most recent single "I Need a New Song" is great; it immediately grabs your attention with the kind of hook that really makes you sit up and take notice.
The song has a nice relaxed groove, with bongos carrying the momentum, alongside an imaginative bass, and some subtle guitar underpinning the groove. The keyboard floats around in melodic sympathy to the lead vocal, and the lyrics cleverly describe what the artist hopes to achieve by creating this elusive song. He does this by emphasising how this isn't 'any kind of song', but a song which is going to make me 'sing along', and 'move my feet'. I'm sure we would all agree with that.
Towards the end the music gradually slows down, as the artist quietly reflects on his search for a melody to 'sooth my soul'. The music almost floats into jazz territory here, as the individual parts gradually dissipate into the ether. The trumpet which had previously boldly declared the instrumental hook, now moves around almost forlornly amongst the ashes of the dying song, searching for a place to rest. Well, I'm not sure if that's what the artist intended, but that's what it sounds like to me. A melancholy drift into the unknown.
All in all an inspired idea, and a great song with a hook to die for. Tom Weber clearly knows how to craft music that has real singalong appeal. A man with an ear for a great melody, who has come up with a fantastic song that I for one, would love to cover myself.
Tom Weber - lost and found.
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