Tom Ovans - Last Day On Earth (2014)

American singer-songwriter Tom Ovans may as yet not troubled the masses with his work, but there is no reason (that I know of) why this should be so. Much influenced by the musical style of the rambling folk troubadours peppered with a little from places he’s lived, New Orleans (briefly), eighteen years in Nashville and now, Americana central, Austin, Tx. His smoky rough-edged vocals have been likened to Bob Dylan, plus there is some Woody Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott in there too. Last Day On Earth is the Boston, Massachusetts born and raised tunesmith’s tenth album. A quiet unassuming man Ovans has worked as a carpenter, roofer, general construction and various other jobs; factory work included to supplement his income from music and avoid becoming as he once was, homeless.

Last Day On Earth comprises of two cds, the first contains 18 tracks (electric inclined), and the second 16! (acoustic inclined). You are talking about a huge set of songs, with all them his plus playing of guitars, acoustic, electric, slide, mandolin, harmonica and vocals. Fans of the likes of Jimmy LaFave and Tom Pacheco plus the above noted Dylan and Guthrie will get a lot from this record, the peace and solitude transfer coupled with a weary longing to ramble and move on. Explore new roads. Both those that hold a promise of better times, and those where the grass grows between the cracks. For those looking to recharge their batteries, disappear and go talk with nature for a while. Before building up their resistance to step back into the brink of your everyday city life, the hustle, and sorry assed mainstream of life where artificial is a given.

Ovans’ songs on occasions speak of devotion, loneliness, longing and more as her veers into mystical bluesy (his deft work on slide leave strong impressions) colourings on the likes of “Unbound”; this as he speaks of his journey down from Boston, Massachusetts taking in Cape Cod as he heads down to Mexico (he would later make it up to California) on “Unbound” and with a little Butch Hancock to his work “Streets Of Rome” works its weary, and entertaining I must add along the way. While on “Darlin’ he goes back in time as he speaks of his love of copper kettles, front porch swings, old swimming holes and meadows where wild flowers grew. Beautifully poetic, Ovans produces one gem after another, and when his lyrics are supported by a flowing melody he’s the business (rarely isn’t this so). A keen student of people, and music Ovans is one of a kind.

The CD open with an especially strong “Roll On” (pure Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Woody) a gritty, electric guitar fuelled “Poor Boy Blues” to be soon followed by a melancholy, harmonica peppered late-night “Where The Street Lights Glow” and “Never Show”. While with him speaking of needing some serious drugs the deathly “Last Day On Earth”. Set to a pounding rhythm Tom goes through the process of his last day on earth; a song which is better in many ways than the majority. Although I feel some tracks of the opening cd are a little less finely honed and no better for this but it may be down to my preference for his ‘acoustic’ more intimate recordings. As in the masterful “A Drink And A Car”, the bluesy, harmony aided “Oh, Mama (Gonna Get Around)” and slightly John Prine-esque “Still Ain’t Bound” and others too (a heap of them). ~by Maurice Hope