Concert/ Album Review: Tom Walker Declares “What A Time To Be Alive”

Celebrating the release of his debut, What A Time To Be Alive, Tom Walker is on Cloud Nine. He feels happy, and, with his charm, this made his private show at Ludlow House feel like a celebration to “everything going right.” He’s engaged, his career is on the rise, and he is traveling the world to sing and tell the stories behind his songs. Truly, WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!

Tom Walker is one of the most charismatic people you will ever meet. When people are listening to you sing and turning around to say, “I love him!” this is a very good thing, especially when it is the music execs that will fight for you to get heard. Yet, I am not surprised people felt a connection to Tom Walker; he makes every person feel human, despite their power. He can make a massive crowd feel small and intimate while making a small crowd feel like they have gathered for brunch with friends. He draws people in by treating the chats in between songs of equal importance to, actually, singing them. 

Every song in What A Time To Be Alive has meaning. Blessings is about him and his friends being broke but having the time of their lives. Angels is about his sincere belief that everyday workers should get more love, respect, and social attention. Just You and I is about his fiancé, and The Show is about waiting on a long line for a literal show. These things he described in detail at his private show and he does the same in big ones like his last one at Bowery. Tom Walker does not change who he is, which is why his debut is an artful example of how you can turn your truth into a pop hit. 

I swear people can feel honesty, and while you bop to jams like, “Now You’re Gone (feat Zara Larsson)” or Post Malone inspired “My Way,” you can feel the these songs are both Tom and mainstream. They are his true expressions of life, while also feeling like they could, easily, be in a commercial. Yet, what is wrong with that? When we think of truth, we think of life-changing, even devastating moments, of which “Cry Out” and “Leave A Light On” are. Yet, “How Can You Sleep A Night?” is a gorgeous track about the time Tom fought with his fiancé while living with his 8 roommates. You can turn simple truths into music, especially with Tom’s voice. 

While this album scopes the many sounds of modern pop, Tom’s voice feels hearted in folk. He sings with a rasp and roar that turns lyrics into emotional earthquakes. What is best is that he does it with ease. He sings the songs for what they are, his, and no heavy bassline, piano melody, or guitar hook alters the fact that it is all about him. For More Information on Tom Walker And To Buy What A  Time To Be Alive, out on March 1, Click Here.