Producer/songwriter, Tom Davies, delves into the infatuating stories that charged the direction of his debut album, North Street.
Following the release of North Street, Perth artist Tom Davies unpacks the meaning and inspirations behind the 10-track album.
Each tune is saturated in an intricately moving story, painting the picture of Davies’ ambition and perseverance recovering from an accident in late 2020 that led him to delve into self-producing over studio recording.
Looking For Coal
At my old job, there use to be an old guy who was a boy during World War II. He used to tell me a bunch of old stories from his youth, and I was always interested by them. This song is a mash-up of the different stories he told me to the backdrop of a failed love. Sonically, Looking For Coal has some 60’s rock influences but also some more recent ones like Oasis and Dope Lemon (believe it or not).
Feel It Now
This is one of the older songs from the album. It’s basically about how the main character in the song deals with wanting to turn back the clock and feel how she used to, without the heaviness that comes with age and nostalgia.
In Your Head
I think I was writing about the same character in this song as I was with Feel It Now. Essentially she’s a bit of a troubled figure. Most of her problems start with her and are in her head. She has the power to change but keeps making excuses and letting tough times get to her.
Gypsy Love Song
Country and early rock-inspired tune. Just an upbeat song about a travelling man who is too wild to settle down with the girl he loves and too far gone to change.
Don’t Go Falling In Love
Pretty obvious that this one is about unrequited love. The guy in the song is falling for a girl who doesn’t care. It’s obvious to the people close to him, but he needs some convincing.
Unwind
This is one of my favourite recordings on the album, it’s a fast and energetic Rock&Roll song. The lyrics explore the perspective of someone who is willing to have his life unravelled for the sake of a love that he knows can’t realistically work.
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Predicting The Snow
I really like the lyrics on this one, I think they are solid. Just a tune about keeping your chin up and being positive because life is what you make of it. Plans don’t always work out, so you need to be able to adapt. Written whilst recovering in NSW following the cancelled recording sessions.
Taking In The Breeze
My girlfriend and I did long distance for a couple of years. When we got to see each other, every trip was like a little holiday, and they were always awesome. This song is inspired by the camping trips we would go on Down-South in WA and the long drives we would go on through country NSW. One of my favourite recordings on the album.
Lily
I think this one has connected with a lot of people. Everyone has gone through a breakup or will go through a breakup of some sort. Moving on is hard, and people go about it in all different ways. While initially it’s sad, all you want for the other person is to be happy doing whatever they are doing and to get on with your own life. With time you can look back on it for what it was.
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North Street
I wrote this one after coming out of hospital in late 2020. I had put everything on the line, and it hadn’t worked out by pure chance. This song is about picking yourself up, heading back to where you belong, starting again and doing what you want to do with your life.
North Street holds a special value to me because it is where I really fell in love with music. It’s where I recorded the album, wrote most of the songs and basically where my musical journey began some two-and-a-half/three years ago when I decided to pursue music (without even knowing how to play). Really I’m just getting started, and this album is far from perfect, but I’m proud of it and proud of what I learnt while making it.
Check out Davies’ debut album North Street below:
