Album Review: Tom Levin - Tooth and Claw

Tom Levin - Tooth & Claw
Album Review by: elfslut

Tooth and Claw is the fourth album by the Swedish singer/songwriter. The album’s title might conjure some menacing visuals, but once Tom opens his mouth and his voice fills the room, any thoughts that this music is going to be dark disappear.

Tom’s voice could best be described as what Ian McCulloch would sound like if he ever went the folk route. The songs on Tooth and Claw vary in their subject matter, but they all share one thing in common, a slow, mellow tone. It is his voice that really makes the songs stand out. His baritone seems to be able to reach the lower notes in his range as well as the higher notes. The instrumentation is minimal, which allows the listener to focus on what is really important, Tom’s singing and the lyrics.

It is most likely that combination that won him the “AC Best Male Artist of the Year” award by New Music Weekly in 2006. Tooth and Claw is further proof of Tom’s skill in writing and singing. “Evermore” is the lead single and it is one of the more melancholy tracks on the album. As Tom sings “Oh Lord,” in the songs chorus as well as the final “Evermore,” listeners will be stunned by how deep his voice is. Listeners are treated to another sample of that range on the title track. The use of hand claps lightens the mood of a song about recovery.

There are several songs that stand out above the others on Tooth and Claw, and the album’s opening track “For Life Tonight” is one of them. It has a wonderful melody that is a perfect showcase for Tom’s voice. It is one of the more romantic tracks. The deepness of the notes Tom pulls out can only be described as sexy. When he sings “Could you be the one for me” there will inevitably be a sea of women waving their arms in the air to attract his attention.

The best example of Americana on this record is “Sink Your Teeth Into The Day.” This song has it all, a great beat, catchy lyrics and backing vocals that really work with the song, because those vocals are more like a chorus than just a backing vocal. That backing really makes the song feel uplifting. It is the kind of song that you listen to repeatedly and each time your mood improves.

“Longing is the Life You Found” is a haunting tune. The female vocal is a perfect foil to Tom’s deep baritone. The two voices blend beautifully for all their differences.

One of the more unique songs is “Burst Into Flames,” a slow, melancholy ballad. The simple guitar is almost eclipsed by the vocal, which fills the room and the listener can only focus on that. The lyrics are equally powerful, as Tom sings about a singer stepping onto the stage, hoping to be loved, while suffering from insecurities. The imagery of the song is so strong that it is hard not to visualize the performer and all his emotions as the song plays on. “Gabriel’s Gone Missing” has a wonderful organ and the backing track really gives the song a funereal tone.

There’s such a wide array of emotions conveyed in the music on Tooth and Claw. “I’m Your Son,” is a wonderful song of son’s love for his father. The song doesn’t need more than the simple piano melody and the tambourine to bring the lyrics to life.

There are few albums that are so moving and so simplistic, but Tooth and Claw is definitely one of them. This is an album that won’t leave you and most importantly, it is an album you won’t want to leave you. Tooth and Claw is by far one of the best albums of 2011 thus far.



Genre: Folk/Americana
Sounds Like: Ian McCulloch
Buy: Amazon
Released: Jan 19, 2011
Rating: 9/10
Watch: For Life Tonight