Tom Verlaine

Tom Verlaine's first solo album is, like each of his vocal records, beautifully quirky, both delicate and angular in nature. You can hear the roots of all of his subsequent solo LPs here yet, surprisingly, very little of his previous work in Television. If you appreciate other work by Tom Verlaine, there is a lot to love about this record. Every tune is unique and yet somehow completely Tom Verlaine. Excepting the goofy "Mr. Bingo" (which is fun with some amazing guitar) and the totally bizarre "Yonki Time" (this tune is just weird), every track is a classic in the man's catalogue. The production retains much of the glimmer of Television's first two records, although more akin to "Adventure". However, there is more piano and guitar layering on Verlaine's first solo recording. In addition, I hear a touch of rockabilly in the whiplike rhythms and crisp guitar lines. It is there in spirit more than substance, without sounding at all stale or derivative like more nostalgic acts such as Rockpile or Robert Gordon. Compared to his work in Television, there is an obvious, more nuanced complexity to the arrangements on this record. The music sounds fresh and new even today, yet somehow fully realized. The music on this record is both timeless and utterly unique. Quite an achievement for a first solo outing.