Painfully Mainstream is Anything But

Tom Milsom’s album Painfully Mainstream, is anything but. The 11-track CD is the sophomore effort from Milsom, although it’s his first label-backed release, presented by DFTBA Records back in December 2009. Milsom launched the CD with release parties in his native London as well as in New York City, both of which were met with a great response.

The album’s backbone is comprised of four songs, “Springsong,” “Wintersong,” “Summersong,” and “Autumnsong.” This group of songs sets the tone for the whole album, as well as telling a story of their own. With lyrics like “Growing worlds/Over the horizon/Find the hill it lies on/And be alone” on “Springsong,” Milsom’s message is clearly one of growing up. “Summersong” is of a deeper meaning; it opens up with a Nintendo-esque tune, quickly breaking into a playful beat and melody. However lyrics like “The sun keeps rising every day/And I hate how it just stays that way/The nights are too short these days” make it obvious that Milsom knows how to hide the emotion he’s trying to convey by crooning the words over music that may just make you want to dance. “Wintersong” opens up with a minute and forty-five second long instrumental introduction really hits you somewhere deep inside, making you feel the season with your entire being, just as all of the instrumental “Autumnsong” does.

The album’s first single, and the song that originally made Tom Milsom Youtube-famous is “Indigo.” Reworked for the CD, “Indigo” is a playful song about love and how liking someone can completely change your outlook on life. The song’s lyrics are catchy and Milsom’s English accent just makes you want to sing along as he’s naming all of the crazy colors life makes you see. The album’s second single, “Song for the Painfully Indie” takes a stab at today’s music scene with brutal approach, using digs like “Don’t think you’re special or much less of a disgrace/Just because you’ve got yourself a lady who plays bass” and “You haven’t got a different sound/You aren’t part of the underground/You haven’t been together long/So try to write some bloody decent songs.”

Milsom’s sophomore effort is clearly mature. Whether or not you like the ukulele doesn’t matter, the production on the album is well done and stays very true to Milsom’s homemade videos. Although some of the arguments Milsom provides lyrically fail, such as those on “Animals,” the album as whole is a great listen and is sure to put you in a good mood.