Tom Minor has given us something wonderfully subversive with bring back the good ol boys – a song which actually dances and at the same time hits us upside down with its spot-on critique of our collective amnesia in the face of darker patterns in history. Protest music camouflaged as a singalong, and the better it is disguised the better.
The theatrical nature of the London singer-songwriter is ideal in addressing heavy topics without getting preachy about it. His singing is rich in personality, theatrical without skating on the verge of pantomime with all that delicious conflict between the beatific-ness and lightness of the song on the surface and the darker, more devilish corners. The delivery is almost music hall, which only adds to the satirical point.
The instrumentation is as melodramatic as the vocals, and the instrumentation was created by Teaboy Palmer, the so-called Shadow Morton of Muswell Hill. It is full bodied and dramatic and is based on the eclectic influences of indie rock, new wave, power pop, and garage rock of Minor. The harmonies are also deep and complex that you find after listening to the song many times you will find that the song has different meanings.
The best part of Bring Back the Good Ol’ Boys is that it does not attempt to be heavy-handed. Minor realizes that the best social commentary is the one that is delivered with a wink and is covered in irony. The song is skip-hopping with catchy vibrations as it speaks to our disturbing habit of becoming fools for authoritarian promises and repeating the historical errors. It is at the same time amusing and most disturbing- a tricky thing to do.
After his celebrated first album, and other subsequent records, Minor is shaping his own niche, what he calls existential indie. This song is an excellent example of that practice: it can be considered thought-provoking, yet not didactic; it is both musically exciting and lyrical at the same time. Very few songs leave you feeling like dancing and at the same time critical of societal trends and Minor does just that.
Stay connected with this amazing artist:
Discover our playlist :