Window In The Rhythm: Double Vinyl LP
PRC496LPPre-Order Item. Release Date Subject to Change.
Label: Polyvinyl
Release Date: 1st November
If you're a sucker for storytelling, character portraits, introspective recounting of one's past lives over sprawling, then dense, melodic and always tuneful folk rock instrumentations then the new Fred Thomas record is your album. Each song is like a rich diary entry, exceptional record.
For those who dig: Craig Finn, Bill Callahan, Leonard Cohen...
The past becomes part of the future on Window in the Rhythm, a careerdefining double album statement from singer, songwriter, and producer Fred Thomas as he delivers a compelling inspection on memory and reflection, looking back on the past as a way of moving forward. Featuring contributions from friends like drummer Quin Kirchner, harpist Mary Lattimore, and frequent collaborative co-producer Drew Vandenberg, the album takes the next step in an artistic progression Thomas began with a trilogy of solo records that included 2015's All Are Saved, 2017's Changer, and 2018's Aftering.
The album features some of Thomas’ most intricate production work to date, as heard on opening track “Embankment” - a strikingly autobiographical song with electronic textures layered under bouncy drums and crystal clear guitar lines. Lyrically, the album finds Thomas focusing on very specific experiences from his own life that are still informing his outlook in the present day.
At times starkly intense, Window in the Rhythm plays out like a conversation happening in real time between different versions of himself at varying stages of his life, and feels more like watching a movie than listening to an album. It’s an hour of music that breezes by like a distracted afternoon, reflecting the way that Thomas uses these seven patient and exploratory songs to see just how thin he can stretch his memories without breaking them.
Thomas' work over the past 20+ years has been hugely influential to a sea of underground DIY enthusiasts, not to mention critically acclaimed in outlets such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, FADER, NPR, and many more.