We have a winner; a singer-songwriter who doesn’t sound like Ed Sheeran.
Sam Tomlins has just dropped his debut EP. And what good news that is, because it’s probably what your Sunday evening playlist is missing.
‘Kick Me Softly’ kicks off the EP with a gentle sound to settle you in for an emotional journey. It feels like Sam’s backstory of the trilogy, the one before it all. A three-song collective that’ll make you want to light some candles and drink wine by a fire. If you close your eyes while listening to ‘Meditate Me’ you can almost see the movie playing in your head, except you’re the main character and regret breaking up with your ex.
This is a soundtrack for a romantic journey that doesn’t quite make you want to bawl your eyes out for six days, yet still allows you to feel the emotion as if you had. It is a hopeful sound, one that accepts turmoil and moves on with reflection and perhaps slight regret.
‘Curious Eyes’ is where the peak of Tomlins’ poetry is gracefully met with a tender solo acoustic guitar. With lines like “Don’t know why blue skies fade to grey, but it don’t matter cos you’re my therapy” and “Give myself all to you but I know this will fade so please just love me today”, Sam’s inner pessimistic optimist is laid out on display, and the EP closes in a wistful manner.
Full Circle is the kind of music that mends a hurting soul: a romantically regretful reflection.
The Friendly Critic 