Thomston - Collarbones

Many R&B songs are sung with an intensity that sits at odds with the banality of the lyrics. It is one of the reasons I find it difficult to spend much time with the genre. But occasionally there comes along an artist who brings depth and a new perspective. Thomston (Thomas Stoneman) is one of those. "Collarbones" is not strictly R&B, with an electro-hum reminiscent of my other NZ favourite of 2014, Bad Blocks. But its roots are there, enhanced by superb, spacious production. And the lyrics? The song is about the writer's realisation that a friend has an eating disorder, and the internal conflicts around acting on his concern. The maturity of the writing is stunning. "Collarbones" consistently brings a tear to this writer's eye. There is a care and sensitivity which I believe is no affectation, as my limited interaction with the artist has been remarkable for its courtesy and respect. Although embodying a genuine and personal message, "Collarbones" also has an element of the theatrical about it, and in some ways it could be a signature song within a musical. I find it interesting that Thomas had performed in stage productions at an earlier age as there is almost a Stephen Sondheim feel to the writing on this track. "Collarbones" is from Thomston's latest "Backbone" EP which is available in its entirety through Spotify, linked below. You can buy last year's "Argonaut" EP at the iTunes link. "Collarbones" and "Grey" from the new EP are at the Soundcloud link. I would be very surprised if at some stage over the next two years we didn't see Thomston crack the US market. If you would like to see him live, he has a few live dates coming up. See below. Top marks to Jamie Lawrence of 8com for the stunning video.

https://play.spotify.com/album/2cr1RgdlRZ9xzwH46nuknG?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open

https://soundcloud.com/thomston

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/argonaut-ep/id910329089

LIVE DATES:

May 2nd, St James Theatre, Auckland
May 12th, Les Etoiles, Paris
May 14th, Great Escape Festival, Brighton
August 20, Pukklepop, Belgium

More dates TBA


THOMSTON - COLLARBONES (Official Music Video)