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I Meant It To Be Sweet is the sophomore release from Tommy Wallach, a Brooklyn-based published author-turned-singer-songwriter.  His first completed novel to be published, We All Looked Up, will be released next March and he’s now on album number two.  Certainly a man who lives to write in any forum.

The album’s opener, “Cold As Christ” is a neat piano shuffle with tight harmonies and as-expected, literary lyrics; it has a near-wry Christmas-y feel.  “Misanthrope” is an interesting acoustic piece that uses a passage from a piece of classical music (the name escapes me); “Occam’s Razor” is a dark, sombre track with nicely inter-woven stringed instruments and blends perfectly into “Helpless”, which has wonderful ebb and flow where the track builds up with some stellar guitar figures that wind right back into quiet acoustic strumming.  “The  Charade Of The Encore” is a breezy, fast strummed number with some sweet guitar riffing – very reminiscent of one of my favorite Belle & Sebastian tracks (“Stop, Look & Listen”) and The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “There She Is” – another great showcase of harmonies.

All in all, I Meant It To Be Sweet is an enjoyable collection of smart, highly lyrical songs that showcase an obviously talented singer and songwriter.  I now look forward to reading Tommy Wallach’s novel upon its release.  Well done, sir.

http://www.tommywallach.com/

About the Author

Rob Ross

Rob Ross has been, for good, bad or indifferent, involved in the music industry for over 30 years - first as guitarist/singer/songwriter with The Punch Line, then as freelance journalist, producer and manager to working for independent and major record labels. He resides in Staten Island, New York with his wife and cats; he works out a lot, reads voraciously, loves Big Star and his orange Gretsch. Doesn't that make him neat?

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