TOMMY TALTON
''UNTIL AFTER THEN''
2014
49:53
1 Until After Then 04:35
2 Real Sugar 04:46
3 Mr. Love 04:52
4 Distant Light 05:45
5 My, O, My 04:44
6 I Keep My Mind On You 04:36
7 The Man From Down Near Waco 03:56
8 Love U A Little 02:42
9 You've Got A Friend 05:31
10 Surfin' The Levee 05:14
11 Sunk Down In Mississippi 03:06
We think Tommy Talton has written some of the best music of his career on this release. He is at his finest when reflecting on life and love and weaves compelling stories with his perspective on social issues. As a wordsmith his lyrics are as timeless as the melodies he creates. As a guitarist he has an exquisite sound that fits like a glove with his arranging sensibilities.
The 11 original songs on this album are each unique - different time signatures, different keys, different genres of musical styles - but they all have that down home Talton sound. It's a real pleasure listening to Tommy's excursions - from his home base of Southern roots music to Sgt. Pepperish Beatles to New orleans Professor Longhair to country into raw, Zeppelin type surf music - these songs are wonderful gifts to be enjoyed time and again. Classic Talton!
By Hittin' The Note
REVIEW
By Bill Thames (nodepression.com)
Tommy Talton never bores us with his live shows, and certainly not with his recordings. Talton is constantly striving for, and inventing new and ultimately more interesting forms of musical expression as he moves along his melodic highway. Until After Then is simply another summit on which Talton pauses, as he continues his never ending pursuit.
This project was recorded for the most part at David Keith's Gintown Studios in Graysville, Alabama, from May through September of 2014 for Hittin' the Note Records. "Love You a Little,” was recorded at Rick Hirsch's Studio H2O in Mobile, Alabama. Production is credited to both Tommy Talton and David Keith. With this project, I believe that David Keith has demonstrated that he is no one trick pony.
To truly understand the diversity of this recording, you need to dust off your headphones...to surround yourself with, and get closer to the sound, because that's what Talton is all about. The lyrics, the music, the production, even the effects are so superbly seamless that you need to dive in and have the sound wash over you as these talented journeymen weave along through the pocket.
The opening cut, "Until After Then," sounds like you've just opened the door to a smoky nightclub where a band of well-oiled musicians is already deep into their third set of the night--that's how tight they are. And it doesn't let up until the project is finished. Talton's gracefully gritty guitar, and Matt Slocum's tasty organ fills weave a funky, mystical, almost Al Cooperish groove that seems to go on...well, until after then. Frankie Nattola's bass lines don't overwhelm, they fit perfectly between, and over David Keith's always perfect 4/4.
"Real Sugar" is a testament to the world we live in, literally and figuratively, where it is hard to tell both what is real, and what is not; who is real, and who is not. Billy Earheart's soulful piano, Kelvin Holly's hypnotic wah-wah guitar, and David Hood's solid bass lines align perfectly with Bill Stewart's rock-solid rhythm. The horn section of Brad Guin on Sax, and Ken Watters on trumpet add icing to an already sweet musical pastry. This is the real thing..."real bread with real butter."
Talton always tucks at least one dreamy aural adventure into each of his recordings, designed to set the mind free. On this project, "Mr. Love" teases with the promise to take the listener away as the spiraling intro begins. The tease stops, however, as the lyrics jolt, and the listener is slapped with the headline news. Talton's guitars titillate, while Kenny Head's tasteful organ drones over Keith's perpetual percussion, and Nattola is smooth as silk.
"Distant Light" takes the listener deep into Talton's emotional psyche. More of a Rhythm and Blues groove here, but as sweet and delicate as a love song has ever been sung. Earheart shines on this track, his trademark keyboard work, both emotional and gut wrenching. The horn section of Guin and Watters fills this track with heartfelt emotion. Kelvin Holly, David Hood, and Bill Stewart lock together tightly to become the almost unheard rhythm section, wrapping around the vocals like an invisible thread of silk. Talton's lyrics are pure magic.
"My, O, My" is a light, breezy tone poem that walks the listener through a musical picnic on a lazy hillside in the summer sunshine...so wistful and so right. Talton's windswept, rhythmic acoustic rifts are pushed aside momentarily by a stabbing slide guitar solo that is truly slinky, soulful, and trademarkable. This track is all about the tasteful picking, the slide guitar, and the hypnotic groove. The rhythm section of Head, Nattola, and Keith flow through this track like the soft breeze that kisses the leaves after a summer afternoon interlude. Warning...this track quickly became my earworm. It is truly addictive.
"I Keep My Mind On You," could easily be envisioned as Talton's personal chronicle set to music, complete with clever glimpses to the future, and the lyrics resonate. When young, especially, life is confusing, and the road has so many forks. Talton's music and lyrics encapsulates the human spirit, and he is always there to sooth us when we have more questions than answers. The entire band swings through this track gently cradling Talton's subtle lyrics, and lifting him up to the chorus.
"She Was There," written by Talton's brother, Gary Talton, is the only track on this project not written by Tommy Talton. Rich acoustic guitar by Talton, and Kenny Head's radiant piano accent Gary's stunning lyrics. At 2:30, Head puts his fingers to the keys and starts to play music so emotional and soulful that his notes are almost too beautiful for words. Brandon Peeples plays spot on upright bass, David Keith again keeps perfect time, and Brad Guin's flute flies high above the intro.
"The Man From Down Near Waco" is Talton's tribute to old friend, Billy Joe Shaver. Listening closely, you can almost feel the dust in Talton's voice as the band tucks into this western groove. If this doesn't bring you close to the westerns of your youth, then you are a city kid without dreams. Lyrics like these point to Talton's songwriting range, and genius.
Almost a bookend to "Waco" is the light western swing, "Love U A Little." This ditty again shows Talton's diversity, and his ability to create lighthearted lines as well as well crafted, cinematic Libretto. It also proves that Talton is not easily tongue-tied. "Love U A Little" features Talton on dobro, NC Thurman on honky-tonk Piano and harmony vocals, Rick Hirsch on rhythm Guitar, and Nattola on six-string bass. Pete Wehner debuts here on drums.
"You Got A Friend" was originally released on the Happy to be Alive album, Talton, Sandlin, and Stewart. The message resonates now just as it did then...friendship is all that matters in life. All it takes to win is one person who will listen and wrestle the concepts with you...someone to keep you company on your ride down, and lift you back up. Here Talton is all about the lyrics. The vocal groove is accompanied by a simple acoustic/electric feel which puts only the most important cuts of meat on the plate...then comes the guitar solo, where the notes are being squeezed out, like Talton's life depends on it. Talton's vocals, lyrics, and guitar work shine here. Along with his wizzardly-smooth bass lines, Frankie Nattola steps out front and adds harmony vocals that blend perfectly with Talton's voice. As always, Keith allows every note to rest comfortably on his shoulders.
As for the bonus track, "Surfin' the Levee," well...I rest my case...This is surely some of the most diverse music that Talton has ever written and recorded. Order a copy of Until After Then from Hittinthenote.com, and snuggle into this music with your headphones on so that you can feel what it is like to be in the studio with the artists...you won't be sorry!
BIOGRAPHY
by Bruce Eder
Tommy Talton was born too late to be a fan of rock & roll's first wave -- opening his eyes to the world in the early '50s, he should have missed Elvis Presley's pre-Army days, but he didn't mostly thanks to his sister, five years his senior, who went around the family's Orlando, FL-area home singing the Memphis Flash's early records, along with those of Nat King Cole and others. His interest in the guitar began at age eight when he saw an instrument owned by one of his uncles and plucked one of the strings, and saw it vibrate and heard the sound it made, and by the time he was 13 he was pursuing the learning of the instrument in earnest.
That coincided just about perfectly with the arrival of the British Invasion, and he became a fan of a local band called the Nonchalants, who eventually became the Offbeets and whose ranks included David Duff on bass, guitar, and vocals; drummer Tomm Wynn; and guitarist Dennis Messimer. It was Messimer's departure for military service in 1966 that left an opening, and an offer to the 16-year-old Talton -- who was still a fan of the group -- to join the Offbeets, who had already made some professional recordings.
Later in 1966, the Offbeets merged with a group from Leesburg called the Trademarks, and formed We the People. This put Talton into harness alongside that group's lead guitarist, Wayne Proctor, two years older than Talton. They inspired each other with their virtuosity, not only in their playing (where they would switch off between lead and rhythm guitar and bass with Duff) but also their songwriting, and their differences enhanced each other's work, Talton into more straight-ahead rock & roll with a high level of sophistication while Proctor had a penchant for the angular and unexpected. Working both in collaboration and parallel to each other, they generated a strong array of original material, of which the highlights included Talton's "Mirror of Your Mind" and "Lovin' Son of a Gun."
We the People made a decent attempt to break out of central Florida to national recognition but never quite made the leap, instead leaving behind an impressive array of singles for the Challenge and RCA labels. In 1967 Proctor left owing to worries about the military draft, but Talton kept up the quality of his work, turning in "The Day She Dies," an exceptionally beautiful rock ballad that ended up as the B-side of their second RCA single, "Love Is a Beautiful Thing," while his next B-side, "When I Arrive," was a piece of snarling garage punk.
He basically aged out of the group, and ended up leaving at 18, after nearly three years with the Offbeets or We the People. Talton headed to Nashville (where We the People had worked for a time), and then to California, where he turned most of his attention to songwriting. Eventually, he linked up professionally with Scott Boyer, Chuck Leavell, and Bill Stewart to form Cowboy, a country-rock outfit that became a mainstay of Phil Walden's Capricorn Records, and enjoyed an especially close association with Gregg Allman when the latter embarked on his solo career, backing him on his first national tour and the perennially popular live album that resulted.
Talton was also closely associated for a time with Livingston Taylor, and eventually Talton and Boyer became the only two members of Cowboy to stay for the duration, releasing records together until 1977 and the collapse of Capricorn. He also worked with Bill Stewart in T. Talton/B. Stewart/J. Sandlin, along with Capricorn mainstay Johnny Sandlin and singer Bonnie Bramlett, releasing one album in 1976. As a session player -- on guitar, mandolin, and Dobro -- he also recorded with such diverse figures as Kitty Wells, Dickey Betts, Martin Mull, Johnny Rivers, Sea Level, and Corky Laing during the 1970s. As of the early 21st century, Talton was living in Luxembourg, far from the Southern rock music scene of which he was a part during the 1960s and 1970s.
''UNTIL AFTER THEN''
2014
49:53
1 Until After Then 04:35
2 Real Sugar 04:46
3 Mr. Love 04:52
4 Distant Light 05:45
5 My, O, My 04:44
6 I Keep My Mind On You 04:36
7 The Man From Down Near Waco 03:56
8 Love U A Little 02:42
9 You've Got A Friend 05:31
10 Surfin' The Levee 05:14
11 Sunk Down In Mississippi 03:06
We think Tommy Talton has written some of the best music of his career on this release. He is at his finest when reflecting on life and love and weaves compelling stories with his perspective on social issues. As a wordsmith his lyrics are as timeless as the melodies he creates. As a guitarist he has an exquisite sound that fits like a glove with his arranging sensibilities.
The 11 original songs on this album are each unique - different time signatures, different keys, different genres of musical styles - but they all have that down home Talton sound. It's a real pleasure listening to Tommy's excursions - from his home base of Southern roots music to Sgt. Pepperish Beatles to New orleans Professor Longhair to country into raw, Zeppelin type surf music - these songs are wonderful gifts to be enjoyed time and again. Classic Talton!
By Hittin' The Note
REVIEW
By Bill Thames (nodepression.com)
Tommy Talton never bores us with his live shows, and certainly not with his recordings. Talton is constantly striving for, and inventing new and ultimately more interesting forms of musical expression as he moves along his melodic highway. Until After Then is simply another summit on which Talton pauses, as he continues his never ending pursuit.
This project was recorded for the most part at David Keith's Gintown Studios in Graysville, Alabama, from May through September of 2014 for Hittin' the Note Records. "Love You a Little,” was recorded at Rick Hirsch's Studio H2O in Mobile, Alabama. Production is credited to both Tommy Talton and David Keith. With this project, I believe that David Keith has demonstrated that he is no one trick pony.
To truly understand the diversity of this recording, you need to dust off your headphones...to surround yourself with, and get closer to the sound, because that's what Talton is all about. The lyrics, the music, the production, even the effects are so superbly seamless that you need to dive in and have the sound wash over you as these talented journeymen weave along through the pocket.
The opening cut, "Until After Then," sounds like you've just opened the door to a smoky nightclub where a band of well-oiled musicians is already deep into their third set of the night--that's how tight they are. And it doesn't let up until the project is finished. Talton's gracefully gritty guitar, and Matt Slocum's tasty organ fills weave a funky, mystical, almost Al Cooperish groove that seems to go on...well, until after then. Frankie Nattola's bass lines don't overwhelm, they fit perfectly between, and over David Keith's always perfect 4/4.
"Real Sugar" is a testament to the world we live in, literally and figuratively, where it is hard to tell both what is real, and what is not; who is real, and who is not. Billy Earheart's soulful piano, Kelvin Holly's hypnotic wah-wah guitar, and David Hood's solid bass lines align perfectly with Bill Stewart's rock-solid rhythm. The horn section of Brad Guin on Sax, and Ken Watters on trumpet add icing to an already sweet musical pastry. This is the real thing..."real bread with real butter."
Talton always tucks at least one dreamy aural adventure into each of his recordings, designed to set the mind free. On this project, "Mr. Love" teases with the promise to take the listener away as the spiraling intro begins. The tease stops, however, as the lyrics jolt, and the listener is slapped with the headline news. Talton's guitars titillate, while Kenny Head's tasteful organ drones over Keith's perpetual percussion, and Nattola is smooth as silk.
"Distant Light" takes the listener deep into Talton's emotional psyche. More of a Rhythm and Blues groove here, but as sweet and delicate as a love song has ever been sung. Earheart shines on this track, his trademark keyboard work, both emotional and gut wrenching. The horn section of Guin and Watters fills this track with heartfelt emotion. Kelvin Holly, David Hood, and Bill Stewart lock together tightly to become the almost unheard rhythm section, wrapping around the vocals like an invisible thread of silk. Talton's lyrics are pure magic.
"My, O, My" is a light, breezy tone poem that walks the listener through a musical picnic on a lazy hillside in the summer sunshine...so wistful and so right. Talton's windswept, rhythmic acoustic rifts are pushed aside momentarily by a stabbing slide guitar solo that is truly slinky, soulful, and trademarkable. This track is all about the tasteful picking, the slide guitar, and the hypnotic groove. The rhythm section of Head, Nattola, and Keith flow through this track like the soft breeze that kisses the leaves after a summer afternoon interlude. Warning...this track quickly became my earworm. It is truly addictive.
"I Keep My Mind On You," could easily be envisioned as Talton's personal chronicle set to music, complete with clever glimpses to the future, and the lyrics resonate. When young, especially, life is confusing, and the road has so many forks. Talton's music and lyrics encapsulates the human spirit, and he is always there to sooth us when we have more questions than answers. The entire band swings through this track gently cradling Talton's subtle lyrics, and lifting him up to the chorus.
"She Was There," written by Talton's brother, Gary Talton, is the only track on this project not written by Tommy Talton. Rich acoustic guitar by Talton, and Kenny Head's radiant piano accent Gary's stunning lyrics. At 2:30, Head puts his fingers to the keys and starts to play music so emotional and soulful that his notes are almost too beautiful for words. Brandon Peeples plays spot on upright bass, David Keith again keeps perfect time, and Brad Guin's flute flies high above the intro.
"The Man From Down Near Waco" is Talton's tribute to old friend, Billy Joe Shaver. Listening closely, you can almost feel the dust in Talton's voice as the band tucks into this western groove. If this doesn't bring you close to the westerns of your youth, then you are a city kid without dreams. Lyrics like these point to Talton's songwriting range, and genius.
Almost a bookend to "Waco" is the light western swing, "Love U A Little." This ditty again shows Talton's diversity, and his ability to create lighthearted lines as well as well crafted, cinematic Libretto. It also proves that Talton is not easily tongue-tied. "Love U A Little" features Talton on dobro, NC Thurman on honky-tonk Piano and harmony vocals, Rick Hirsch on rhythm Guitar, and Nattola on six-string bass. Pete Wehner debuts here on drums.
"You Got A Friend" was originally released on the Happy to be Alive album, Talton, Sandlin, and Stewart. The message resonates now just as it did then...friendship is all that matters in life. All it takes to win is one person who will listen and wrestle the concepts with you...someone to keep you company on your ride down, and lift you back up. Here Talton is all about the lyrics. The vocal groove is accompanied by a simple acoustic/electric feel which puts only the most important cuts of meat on the plate...then comes the guitar solo, where the notes are being squeezed out, like Talton's life depends on it. Talton's vocals, lyrics, and guitar work shine here. Along with his wizzardly-smooth bass lines, Frankie Nattola steps out front and adds harmony vocals that blend perfectly with Talton's voice. As always, Keith allows every note to rest comfortably on his shoulders.
As for the bonus track, "Surfin' the Levee," well...I rest my case...This is surely some of the most diverse music that Talton has ever written and recorded. Order a copy of Until After Then from Hittinthenote.com, and snuggle into this music with your headphones on so that you can feel what it is like to be in the studio with the artists...you won't be sorry!
BIOGRAPHY
by Bruce Eder
Tommy Talton was born too late to be a fan of rock & roll's first wave -- opening his eyes to the world in the early '50s, he should have missed Elvis Presley's pre-Army days, but he didn't mostly thanks to his sister, five years his senior, who went around the family's Orlando, FL-area home singing the Memphis Flash's early records, along with those of Nat King Cole and others. His interest in the guitar began at age eight when he saw an instrument owned by one of his uncles and plucked one of the strings, and saw it vibrate and heard the sound it made, and by the time he was 13 he was pursuing the learning of the instrument in earnest.
That coincided just about perfectly with the arrival of the British Invasion, and he became a fan of a local band called the Nonchalants, who eventually became the Offbeets and whose ranks included David Duff on bass, guitar, and vocals; drummer Tomm Wynn; and guitarist Dennis Messimer. It was Messimer's departure for military service in 1966 that left an opening, and an offer to the 16-year-old Talton -- who was still a fan of the group -- to join the Offbeets, who had already made some professional recordings.
Later in 1966, the Offbeets merged with a group from Leesburg called the Trademarks, and formed We the People. This put Talton into harness alongside that group's lead guitarist, Wayne Proctor, two years older than Talton. They inspired each other with their virtuosity, not only in their playing (where they would switch off between lead and rhythm guitar and bass with Duff) but also their songwriting, and their differences enhanced each other's work, Talton into more straight-ahead rock & roll with a high level of sophistication while Proctor had a penchant for the angular and unexpected. Working both in collaboration and parallel to each other, they generated a strong array of original material, of which the highlights included Talton's "Mirror of Your Mind" and "Lovin' Son of a Gun."
We the People made a decent attempt to break out of central Florida to national recognition but never quite made the leap, instead leaving behind an impressive array of singles for the Challenge and RCA labels. In 1967 Proctor left owing to worries about the military draft, but Talton kept up the quality of his work, turning in "The Day She Dies," an exceptionally beautiful rock ballad that ended up as the B-side of their second RCA single, "Love Is a Beautiful Thing," while his next B-side, "When I Arrive," was a piece of snarling garage punk.
He basically aged out of the group, and ended up leaving at 18, after nearly three years with the Offbeets or We the People. Talton headed to Nashville (where We the People had worked for a time), and then to California, where he turned most of his attention to songwriting. Eventually, he linked up professionally with Scott Boyer, Chuck Leavell, and Bill Stewart to form Cowboy, a country-rock outfit that became a mainstay of Phil Walden's Capricorn Records, and enjoyed an especially close association with Gregg Allman when the latter embarked on his solo career, backing him on his first national tour and the perennially popular live album that resulted.
Talton was also closely associated for a time with Livingston Taylor, and eventually Talton and Boyer became the only two members of Cowboy to stay for the duration, releasing records together until 1977 and the collapse of Capricorn. He also worked with Bill Stewart in T. Talton/B. Stewart/J. Sandlin, along with Capricorn mainstay Johnny Sandlin and singer Bonnie Bramlett, releasing one album in 1976. As a session player -- on guitar, mandolin, and Dobro -- he also recorded with such diverse figures as Kitty Wells, Dickey Betts, Martin Mull, Johnny Rivers, Sea Level, and Corky Laing during the 1970s. As of the early 21st century, Talton was living in Luxembourg, far from the Southern rock music scene of which he was a part during the 1960s and 1970s.
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