Thom Chacon's self-titled debut is much more than another attempt to pour old wine into new bottles to little appreciable effect. After decades of singer/songwriters threading thin voices through stock images cribbed from Dylan or Springsteen, I concede some inherent skepticism anytime I am introduced to yet another young guy with an acoustic guitar, a scruffy look, and a twang. Chacon's debut collection shatters that sort of cynicism with its literary flair, stellar musical backing, and astonishing maturity. Even when Chacon's songs flirt with cliché or cover familiar subject matter, they are composed with such an attention to detail and nuance that any weaknesses fade in the wake of his narrative powers. While genuine touches of real poetry litter each of Chacon's songs, he is primarily a storyteller and the lyrics owe much of their impact to his skill at creating concrete images, developing characters, and applying his personal experiences and understanding of human nature to his work. Prioritizing an organic approach to the material, Chacon aimed for a first take approach on each song and embraced an analog sound. The results of his spontaneous approach work with the album's warm, smoky sonic qualities to close the distance between the artist and listener. This effect is strongest on the first two songs. If anything, the ability demonstrated in these songs demands that Chacon go even further, plunge deeper, and push his talents to their limit.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2013  Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.