05/14/2021
๐ฆ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ช - ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐
๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ - ๐ง๐ฒ๐
๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐
๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ
๐ช๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ๐น ๐ฅ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐
When a musical artist decides that music is his passion and works toward the pursuit of his goals, it's no secret that he or she has already been writing or composing material. Occasionally, some of that work resurfaces and becomes a highly meaningful addition to a new CD release.
๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด is just that song for Thomas Michael Riley. While the CD, ๐๐๐ญ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ , is Riley's new release, track 6 is actually a seasoned cut that first appeared on a 2-song 45 rpm vinyl in 1991 from Misty Records. While most artists are remiss to release any of their early work in the hopes that more current music is 'better', this track shows that Riley started out a cut above the rest in his ability to use the written word to express emotions that all of us have felt at one time. His reflections on the sentiments of wishing that we could have far more of the good than the bad and have more time to enjoy the lighter side of life strike a cord in the hearts of those who have had to give up family time because they were called into work or have had very brief encounters with the happiness they seek only to have the proverbial rug pulled from under them in short order. We all know that when we are on vacation, away from the trivial and trying, those days seem to rush by and suddenly we are back at work where, at times, we swear the clock is ticking backwards.
The song seems almost biographical in a sense - an aspiring Texas singer/songwriter who holds down a day job as a high school English teacher in the very rigid world of public education and then goes out to play shows on the weekends; his summer vacation is over before he knows it and he did not get the time with his family that he really wanted before he is back in the building prepping for a new year. This is perhaps the most reflective tune on the CD, and that sentiment provides the listener with a deeper understanding of the writer. The other tunes lift us up and express a tone of thanks for the support Riley has received in his efforts throughout the years. He has had a wonderful opportunity to become someone we want to continually hear and connect with, and after hearing this one, we know more of the background and what drives his music to be as endearing as it is.
Highly reminiscent of ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต'๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ ๐๐ฎ from the CD ๐๐ค๐ข๐ข๐ฎ, ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด opens with a simple guitar medley and brings to light more of the 'man' that is Thomas Michael. The most striking feature of the song's sound comes from the vocal ranges that Riley covers. Much of the song is in his familiar baritone, but the 'lows' are his chance to dip into a true bass note not often heard. It adds more meaning to the end of each phrase and the overall tone of the song - we can go from such glorious highs to some very deep lows in short order. The music maintains a steady volume and traditional sound for Riley, and it works well as it leaves the listener more likely to focus on the words being sung.
๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด is the final track on the new CD, ๐๐๐ญ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ , available Friday, May 14. Get your CD or download the new tracks and enjoy the personal reflections of each song, the motivation to keep pushing forward, and a heartfelt thank you from Thomas Michael Riley for supporting him throughout the years.
๐ฆ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ช - ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐
๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ - ๐ง๐ฒ๐
๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐
๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ
๐ช๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ๐น ๐ฅ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐
When a musical artist decides that music is his passion and works toward the pursuit of his goals, it's no secret that he or she has already been writing or composing material. Occasionally, some of that work resurfaces and becomes a highly meaningful addition to a new CD release.
๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด is just that song for Thomas Michael Riley. While the CD, ๐๐๐ญ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ , is Riley's new release, track 6 is actually a seasoned cut that first appeared on a 2-song 45 rpm vinyl in 1991 from Misty Records. While most artists are remiss to release any of their early work in the hopes that more current music is 'better', this track shows that Riley started out a cut above the rest in his ability to use the written word to express emotions that all of us have felt at one time. His reflections on the sentiments of wishing that we could have far more of the good than the bad and have more time to enjoy the lighter side of life strike a cord in the hearts of those who have had to give up family time because they were called into work or have had very brief encounters with the happiness they seek only to have the proverbial rug pulled from under them in short order. We all know that when we are on vacation, away from the trivial and trying, those days seem to rush by and suddenly we are back at work where, at times, we swear the clock is ticking backwards.
The song seems almost biographical in a sense - an aspiring Texas singer/songwriter who holds down a day job as a high school English teacher in the very rigid world of public education and then goes out to play shows on the weekends; his summer vacation is over before he knows it and he did not get the time with his family that he really wanted before he is back in the building prepping for a new year. This is perhaps the most reflective tune on the CD, and that sentiment provides the listener with a deeper understanding of the writer. The other tunes lift us up and express a tone of thanks for the support Riley has received in his efforts throughout the years. He has had a wonderful opportunity to become someone we want to continually hear and connect with, and after hearing this one, we know more of the background and what drives his music to be as endearing as it is.
Highly reminiscent of ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต'๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ ๐๐ฎ from the CD ๐๐ค๐ข๐ข๐ฎ, ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด opens with a simple guitar medley and brings to light more of the 'man' that is Thomas Michael. The most striking feature of the song's sound comes from the vocal ranges that Riley covers. Much of the song is in his familiar baritone, but the 'lows' are his chance to dip into a true bass note not often heard. It adds more meaning to the end of each phrase and the overall tone of the song - we can go from such glorious highs to some very deep lows in short order. The music maintains a steady volume and traditional sound for Riley, and it works well as it leaves the listener more likely to focus on the words being sung.
๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด is the final track on the new CD, ๐๐๐ญ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ , available Friday, May 14. Get your CD or download the new tracks and enjoy the personal reflections of each song, the motivation to keep pushing forward, and a heartfelt thank you from Thomas Michael Riley for supporting him throughout the years.
