Tom Gillam – Live, Somewhere in America: Play Loud, Dig Deep

This album, Live, Somewhere in America: Play Loud…Dig Deep is the result of that road-dog mentality. Unlike many live projects, this one was recorded over many nights, not the standard one or two. You will find no overdubs on this disc, a fact that Gillam humorously and proudly attests to in the liner notes by stating “ …this is what it sounded like. We fixed none of our mistakes in the studio. Which might be a mistake.”

Don’t worry Tom, it was most definitely not a mistake. The energy and sound leaps out of the speakers on this live set. To give listeners unfamiliar with Tom’s music a baseline of what to expect, I’d compare it to Bob Seger belting out Americana tinged blues rock at some roadside dive in the Hill Country after arriving there on a Harley. This is aggressive alt-country rock. Normally, when I have to throw the rock tag on alt-country it can mean the lyrics are afterthoughts for the band I’m describing. That is not the case with this album or Gillam’s canon in general.

Cranked out by a flawless five piece band, the tunes on this album are strong examples of Americana at its best. Gillam’s voice is surprisingly spry and versatile. Like Clark Kent going into a phone booth, Gillam manages to change his performance style on each track depending on what is called for from his pen. This is a fun live record if you’re looking for something that will seem familiar yet fresh.