By Declan Marron
Too Slow is the debut album of Kent folk rockers, Tom Williams and The Boat. “Not another bloody London folk rock album”, I hear you mutter in that whiney tone; you know the one. Well simmer down and let me explain why this is a group worth checking out.
Apart from creating possibly the most impressive song cover I have ever heard (a folk version of Dizzee Rascal’s Bonkers, check it out thank me later!), the group have created a very impressive debut album with an upbeat feel but with certain parts just on the evil side of folk.
Most of the album, while enjoyable, is incredibly honest and contains often bitter lyrics. Not in a sinister way, but in a way that provides the listener with some dark humour and perhaps thoughts that they can relate to. Songs such as Wouldn’t Women Be Sweet contain such finely crafted lyrics as “I thought it would be fun, I thought it would be easy, Didn’t realize you were a maniac”. While Concentrate depicts the inner monologue of a suicide bomber. Williams even seems to be brutally honest about himself, as in the opening song 24 he seems to draw strength from his own “uncool” appearance.
The darker (well, as dark as folk goes) part of the albums seem to be the most passionate and exciting. Get Older is a particular highlight with its thrilling revenge driven lyrics and fiddle that maintains that evil tone. As well as the last song Voicemail in which the tempo picks up and Williams, well, leaves a voicemail, all the time building up the tension and then bursting into complete madness, before gently calming in time to end the debut LP.
This is the reason why they have seen their fan base quickly grow and drive them on to support such acts as Stornaway and even play Glastonbury.
