Tom House (musician)

Tom House (born 1949 in Durham, North Carolina) is an American singer-songwriter and poet whose music combines elements of country, singer-songwriter, and folk.[1][2][3]

Tom House
Born1949 (age 73–74)
Durham, North Carolina
OriginNashville, Tennessee
Genresfolk, singer-songwriter, country
Years active1997–present
LabelsCheckered Past, Mud, Catamount

Biography

House wrote hundreds of poems during the two decades before 1997. Of these, three had been included in The Bicentennial Edition of the Tennessee Anthology of Poetry.[4] From 1982 to 1988, he edited and published the journal raw bone, which was known for publishing spare, brutal writing.[3] House's first recording to be released was "The Hank Williams Memorial Myth", a spoken-word intro to the 1996 compilation album Nashville: The Other Side Of The Alley.[5] In 1997, he released his debut album, The Neighborhood Is Changing, on Checkered Past Records.[6] The album featured multiple members of Lambchop.[7] As of 2012, he had released a total of 13 albums.[1]

Critical reception

Greil Marcus wrote in Esquire that House's 1998 album This White Man's Burden was "an extraordinary collection of warnings and threats, and it sounds as if it came right out of the ground."[8] He later named the album his 6th favorite of 1998.[9] Robert Christgau, however, was less favorable in his review of the album, awarding it a "neither" rating, indicating that it "may impress once or twice with consistent craft or an arresting track or two. Then it won't."[10][11] Jim Caligiuri of the Austin Chronicle wrote that House's third album, 'Til You've Seen Mine, was "easily his most accomplished" and gave it 3 out of 4 stars.[12] Erik Hage of No Depression wrote that on House's 2004 album That Dark Calling, "House is still very much his own man, but there's a levity to his approach here that suggests the singer is perhaps more concerned with healing than drumming up haints and spooks."[13] Andy Whitman of Paste wrote that on the album, "House is a fine songwriter with a great eye for detail, but his dour sensibilities become oppressive after a while."[14]

Discography
  • The Neighborhood Is Changing (Checkered Past, 1997)
  • This White Man's Burden (Checkered Past, 1998)
  • 'Til You've Seen Mine (Munich, 1999)
  • Jesus Doesn't Live Here Anymore (Catamount, 2001)
  • Long Time Home From Here (Catamount, 2003)
  • That Dark Calling (Catamount, 2004)
  • The Last Desperate Man (Catamount, 2008)
  • Burning With the Message (self-released, 2008)
  • Winding Down the Road (Mud, 2012)

Appearances
  • Nashville: The Other Side Of The Alley (Bloodshot, 1996)

References
  1. Schneider, Jason (July 2, 2012). "Winding Down The Road Review". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  2. Unterberger, Richie. "Tom House Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  3. Warren, Bill Friskics (April 30, 1997). "Tom House – A poet's tears, a drunken smile". No Depression. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  4. Friskics-Warren, Bill (July 24, 1997). "Local poet/songwriter Tom House's new CD captures his deep tales and offbeat cadences". Nashville Scene. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  5. Alden, Grant (December 31, 2001). "Tom House – Welcome to the occupation". No Depression. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  6. Sacks, Bill. "The Neighborhood Is Changing". Country Standard Time. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  7. Unterberger, Ritchie (1999). Music USA: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides. pp. 121.
  8. Marcus, Greil (December 1998). "Devil's Music". Esquire. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  9. Staff (December 18, 1998). "Greil Marcus' Top 10". MTV News. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  10. Christgau, Robert (2000). "CG: Tom House". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan Publishing. p. 137.
  11. "Key to Icons". Robertchristgau.com. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  12. Caligiuri, Jim (March 17, 2000). "Tom House 'Til You've Seen Mine (Catamount)". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  13. Hage, Erik (February 29, 2004). "Tom House – That Dark Calling". No Depression. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  14. Whitman, Andy (August 1, 2004). "Tom House – That Dark Calling". Paste. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
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