ST. THOMAS: Let's grow together- The Comeback of St. Thomas

The man behind St.Thomas is Thomas Hansen from Norway and I have been knocked sideways by his music. How much of a saint he actually is is not apparent (a number of songs on this, his first release through Track and Field, are about a love of women and one-night stands) but his song-writing ability certainly could have been a gift from some mysterious God above, a God that perhaps felt like putting a smile on a few people's faces.

Opening number, "Sunny Day", does exactly that; as the title may suggest, a huge blast of fresh, warm air that would chase away even the blackest of rain clouds, whilst also a song which demonstrates just why this guy could easily be Elliot Smith's or Evan Dando's slightly kooky, but totally sincere, Scandanavian cousin twice-removed.

The often soothing guitar strumming, laidback vibe and highly infectious sing-a-long choruses make for a meaningful and stunning combination of folk/country/lo-fi rock; final track "The Red Book" would definitely be most enjoyed when wearing lederhosen. Other highlights include "An Artist With A Brilliant Disguise" and "Dance To The Disco", which just simply make me want to dance like a lunatic in my undies (the latter particularly oozes subtle, if a little unsure, sex appeal), the breathtaking "Silence Break Your Heart" and the out-and-out grin of a song encompassing favourite childhood memories to make you wish you were seven-years-old again, "Cool Yellow Flower Shirt".

So, the future looks bright for St Thomas. On first listen, and those that inevitably followed, I hugged myself with joy that this album had been made. A collection of songs which are going to lullaby me to sleep every night from now on, I am sure that this is the start of something new and beautiful for this impressive talent. What's more, he has very nice sideburns.
www.stthomas.no