Tommy Arch has a high profile in the UK as drummer with Americana folk/blues rockers Holy Moly & The Crackers whose lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Ruth Lyon also utilizes Tommy’s impeccable bass guitar skills when she performs and records with her own band. He launched himself as a solo artist a couple of years ago by using a residency at the prestigious international concert venue Sage Gateshead to produce a live video performance of “Anywhere I Look.” The song, featured in ABS, on social media and national television, his gutsy, smooth and soulful voice described as reminiscent of early Springsteen. “Lucky” is Tommy’s debut single.
In Tommy’s words: “It’s always hard to explain what you do and why you do it. Somebody recently described what I do as a ‘Soulful, timeless, folk’ which I think isn’t far off. But that doesn’t mean I’m in a shiny suit and sunglasses, sweating and strutting about the stage. It also doesn’t mean I’m wearing a straw hat and a tweed waistcoat either. I’m just making the music I’ve always wanted to make, the good old way, straight onto tape. I try to write songs that mean something to me and hopefully mean something to you too, and that’s all I can ask for and really all I can say.
“‘Lucky’ is a song full of optimism. It comes with a promise and a disclaimer. It’s saying no matter how bad things get, or how dark things might seem, there’s always a glimmer of hope to cling onto. And if you try hard enough or wait long enough then you can be lucky, at least sometimes. This is the first song I’ve recorded with Kitty and Lewis Durham in their London studio and if you know anything about these guys, you’ll probably have a good idea of how it’s going to sound. But anyway, don’t listen to me! Give it a whirl and see for yourself!”
The key ingredients contributing to the potential success of this debut single include: Tommy’s decade of experience as a professional musician, specifically his current band role as backing vocalist; his songwriting acumen; and the decision to work with Kitty and Lewis from Kitty, Daisy & Lewis — the multi-million streamed blues, soul and rock and roll siblings from London. A further bonus is using the family’s own recording studio consisting of mostly vintage analogue and custom in-house built equipment which gives the sound a distinctive flavor. The fact that producers Kitty and Lewis are performing with Tommy and adding their considerable musical talents to the mix is a huge bonus.
“Lucky” is an affable, laid back, cool track with a country vibe and a positive message to lift the spirits, beautifully arranged with superb piano and organ accompaniment from Lewis. The background harmonies of Kitty and Tommy soar in a series of controlled climaxes well matched by Tommy’s impressive lead vocal range. Underpinning this is the expressive one-person rhythm section, Kitty, playing drums, bass and tambourine, enabling Tommy to add some guitar strumming. The reflective lyrics explore the reality of life as it is: “You’ve seen a little bit of the world/And you know what it’s all about/You know how to suffer/And when to just run for cover.’ As Tommy explains, ‘It is a song for our times but the central message points to a better future especially if your luck holds out and you don’t lose heart.”
Producer Lewis Durham spoke to American Blues Scene about the experience of working with Tommy:
Some years back whilst touring the country, Kitty and I met Tommy in his home-town of Newcastle, and a few months later he came down with a group he was in to make a record in our studio, Durham Sound Studios. After having him lay down a guide vocal for a track that he was never intended to be on, Kitty and I were both stunned at his vocal performance and whispered to each other, “We need to cut this cat.”
Lewis Durham
His vocal power and energy was that of the Flying Scotsman locomotive steaming through the highlands yet with the accuracy and precision of a US marine sniper. Having written some of his own songs and liking the way we made records in a non-digital and open energy based fashion, Tommy returned, this time on his own and we jammed through a few of his stories and we produced something for him. “Lucky” resonated and we cut it live and his rough first vocal take was the one we used.
We would also drink together every evening professing our love for Elvis Presley and Jim Reeves. He prefers a neat whiskey with his beer, and in the morning his coffee as black as the minute the lights go out in a cheap motel. On the recording, Kitty played drums, I played a Chappell upright piano and Tommy played electric guitar all together.
The studio fronts onto the street and I remember my now wife coming in through the door as we were playing the outro, breathing the sound of Kentish Town high street onto the record. After this, Kitty overdubbed bass and percussion and I overdubbed Hammond organ. Kitty and Tommy sang the backing vocals together.
Tommy’s energy is divine and I hope he becomes a star.
Recorded and Produced by Kitty and Lewis at Durham Studios, London.
Released on March 31st
Available on Spotify
Lyrics:
Sometimes
Things go from bad to worse
Oh and sometimes
Even a helping hand hurts
Sometimes
You can’t keep from breaking down
And sometimes you feel like you’re never going to turn it around
Just remember when you’re down in the dumps
The rolls and the bumps
You keep on walking that fine line and
You can be lucky sometimes
Oh some days
You look up into the sky
You can’t keep from blaming yourself
You can’t help but ask yourself why
Some days
You try and get back up on your feet
And quit wasting away in all the pain and misery
It’s going to get tougher
A little lonelier a little rougher
You just keep these words in mind and
You can be lucky sometimes
Yeah you can be lucky sometimes
And when it all seems like a bridge too far
Don’t lose your head
Don’t lose heart
When all you need is someone kind
Someone to just pick up on the other end of the line
These days
You’re done wasting time
Done picking yourself up from where you’ve been left behind
Oh and these days
No longer bathed in doubt
You’ve seen a little piece of the world
And you know what it’s all about
You know how to suffer
And when to just run for cover
Just as long as your sun shines well now
You can be lucky sometimes
Yeah you can be lucky sometimes
Just hold on and
You can be lucky sometimes
Hold on a little longer and
You can be lucky sometimes…
