aaamusic | On 13, Jan 2012

 

When American-born singer/songwriter and notorious mad inventor Thomas Truax (pronounced troo-aks) started his innovative ‘Monthly Journal’ song project in January 2011, he wasn’t anticipating such a turbulent and challenging year ahead. His father died in March (‘March Winds’), a 5-year love relationship broke up in June (‘Lost On The Moon In June’), and more recently he was forced to leave England which he has called home for the past several years due to tightening UK visa restrictions. Add to this the political, economic and social unrest of the past year, and  there was no shortage of substance from which Truax could draw inspiration for this unique project.

 

“Having committed to the monthly songs probably kept me sane,”  explained Thomas to DJ Mark Radcliffe when interviewed on his BBC6 daytime show recently, “It was like the proverbial firmly-rooted tree I could hang on to to keep from being completely swept up by the tornado.”

 

“Genius.” –NME “

“. . .unapologetically original.” –Dazed and Confused

“He’s a serious proposition.” –Q

“Beguilingly Bizarre” –Uncut

 

Taking advantage of the immediacy of the internet, his self-imposed rules for this ‘living album’ were simple: Write, record, mix, master and release (to radio and on line) a song within the window of each month.  Tracks would be informed by and reflect the mood, weather and atmosphere of the months; the changing seasons, news, dreams, travels, personal and world events as they unfolded.  There are mentions of Fukushima and the Royal Wedding, and August’s song may very well be the first song aired on national radio that alludes to the summer riots. Tracks were performed and recorded entirely by Thomas on portable equipment in the UK, the US and Germany. His self-made instruments such as his near-legendary ‘Hornicator’ and mechanical drum machines make frequent appearances but traditional instrumentation and orchestration dominate, and Thomas seems to have developed a new fondness for cinematic orchestras and old Casio keyboards.

 

The result, Truax’s sixth studio album, is without a doubt his strongest and most accessible collection to date, many songs receiving enthusiastic responses and airplay from  Jarvis Cocker (with whom Truax collaborated on a live film score last year), Tom Robinson, Gideon Coe,  Radcliffe and Maconie, and many others. BBC Tees DJ Bob Fischer aired a regular live interview with Thomas coinciding with each month’s single.

 

Thomas Truax emerged from the fertile New York Antifolk scene that also birthed Jeffrey Lewis, Kimya Dawson, Lach, Beck and Regina Spektor. He is famed for his array of bizarre homemade instruments and his energetic live shows as well as his imaginative and romantic songwriting.  A former magician and stop-motion animator (Celebrity Deathmatch/Robot Chicken), he  squeezed the writing and production of these songs between a typically busy touring schedule, a sold-out run as MC for Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley’s  Evelyn Evelyn conjoined twin show  (at the Edinburgh Fringe Fest in August), a guest Hornicator player on the new David J (Bauhaus) album and the presentation of his first University lecture (Universty of Liverpool) on ‘Creativity and how to succeed as an Indie musician’.

 

‘Monthly Journal’ is released in the UK by London-based BLANG records (distributed by Cargo)  in conjunction with Truax’s own Psychoteddy label. It follows up Truax’s 2010 album ‘Sonic Dreamer’(SL Records) which charted amongst the best-reviewed new releases of the summer (averaging 8/10 on amalgamation site anydecentmusic.com) and 2009’s acclaimed ‘Songs from the Films of David Lynch’(SL/PT 1010). A new live show featuring visual elements designed around this album will tour the UK and Europe from Feb – April 2012.

For more information on Thomas visit www.thomastruax.com

 

Thomas Truax releases his brand new album Monthly Journal in February via Blang Records and plays the following UK dates…

 

3 Feb : Southend, UK, Railway Hotel, Essex

7 Feb : Exeter, UK, Cavern Club

8 Feb: Cardiff, 10 Feet Tall, 12 Church Street, Cardiff

23 Feb : Cambridge, Portland Arms

3 and 4 March : Glasgow, Kelvingrove Museum

6 March : Aberdeen, Tunnels

8 March : Nottingham, Rescue Rooms (Red Room)