Tom Armstrong: Songs That Make The Jukebox Play

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1.   Can't Stand To Think

2.   Eat At Home

3.   You Used To Live It Up

4.   Brand New Memories

5.   Promises, Promises

6.   Give Up On Me

7.   How Much Longer

8.   Blues & Dues

9.   I'll Match You

10. A Good Night Tonight

11. First One To Get There

12. No Big Thing To Me

13. Hard Times Are Gone  

 

(Carswell Records) Wynn Stewart. Ray Price. Web Pierce. Carl Smith. These legendary names, as well as those of several others, are being mentioned in the same sentence with a current artist on the country music scene, named Tom Armstrong. Why is Tom Armstrong's name being mentioned alongside such country luminaries? Because this San Francisco based artist is making country music that hasn't been heard since the days these country greats ruled the airwaves. Not only is Tom a terrific singer, but he also writes his own songs, and those songs are more than worthy enough to have been recorded by any of the aforementioned greats, they are that good.

 

His songs, his music, even his CD covers, are right out of country music- circa late 50's to early/mid 60's. Vintage microphones were used to capture the sound of those early recordings. While Tom's songs and his style may be a sound from days gone by, he manages to avoid being pegged as a "novelty" or "retro" act, as he breathes something fresh and up to date in them, making them sound "new," sincere, and most of all, honest.

 

Songs That Make The Jukebox Play is Tom's newly released follow up to his critically acclaimed debut album, Tom Armstrong Sings Heart Songs. In 2000, Heart Songs landed on No Depression's top 10 year end list, at #9 on Third Coast's top albums list and Tom landed at #6 on their male vocalist list, which are only a couple of examples of the acclaim both Tom and the CD received. Songs That Make The Jukebox Play is being met with the same reception.

 

Tom has a warm, pleasant voice that produces just the right amount of twang, can nail a note with amazing power, and delivers his songs in an easy going, laid back style. His backing band, The Jukebox Cowboys (Mike Wolf on guitar, David Phillips on steel guitars, Doug Adams on fiddle, Rob Douglas & Greg Reeves on bass, and Les James on drums) are one tight little band, but here too, their delivery is easy and laid back, and it all comes across as natural as...breathing.

 

As great a performer as he is though, Tom Armstrong's greatest strength just may be in his songwriting. On Songs That Make The Jukebox Play, he has written twelve of the disc's thirteen songs, the lone cover being Frank Miller Jr.'s classic honky tonker, "No Big Thing To Me," (which involves nights on the town that end with waking up in jail). He writes about the classic country music themes, loving, losing and leaving, cheating and hanging out in barrooms, that avoid overused cliches, yet don't come across as being "highbrow." He paints vivid pictures in his songs with honesty and often times, clever wit, that keeps it real and instantly connect with the listener.

 

Songs That Make The Jukebox Play has it all. Heartbreak is addressed though barroom patrons swapping tales of heartbreak in the weeper, "I'll Match You," the constant broken promises of a lover in "Promises, Promises," and the mournful "Give Up On Me," a man that's moved on, trying to get his former love to let him go. Love is demonstrated by a man ready to rekindle love in the swinging "Brand New Memories," the impatience with a lover in the jaunty "How Much Longer," and how love can turn your life around in "Hard Times Are Gone." 

 

Fair warning is given to a spouse with a roving eye on the clever classic honky tonker, "Eat At Home." You reap what you sow is driven home to a man who's past has caught up with him on "You Used To Live It Up." No album of pure honky tonk would be complete without a song about a man's second home, the local bar, which is covered in classic style on "First One To Get There," where the song's character is also the "last to leave." 

 

Wynn Stewart. Ray Price. Webb Pierce. Carl Smith. Yeah. Pop in Tom Armstrong's Songs That Make The Jukebox Play among the recordings by these country greats, and it'll fit in with absolutely no problem. You might not even notice the decades of difference between them. Oh, and don't forget your dancing shoes.

AnnMarie Harrington Take Country Back August 2002