MUSIC REVIEW: Tom Walker – What A Time To Be Alive

Tom Walker, Scotland’s rebuttal to Ed Sheeran, released his newest album on the 1st of March 2019. “What A Time To be Alive” fully embodies Walker’s character, full of cheerful, genuine, and talented parts. This album comes hot off the press with Walker’s 2019 Best British Breakthrough Brit Award. Walker has come a long way from busking and sleeping rough, like his English counterpart Sheeran.

The Sheeran parallels continue through to composition as both musicians have worked with Steve Mac. Mac’s signature percussive guitar playing to hip-hop beats with rap-influenced vocal cadences have completed Sheeran’s ‘Shape Of You’ and Walker’s ‘Fly Away With Me.’ Walker matches Sheeran’s willingness to blend musical areas that often lay un-turned by mainstream pop artists. Sheerans Orishish fiddle-de-dee on ‘Galway Girl’ and Walker’s white reggae style on ‘Blessings’ give a strong testament to this.

“What A Time To Be Alive” opens strongly with ‘Angels’. Walker’s authentic voice moves effortlessly through the song, so naturally that the only abrupt moment is the finish. Luckily, the opening track, that pushes you into wanting more, is followed by Walker’s previously released smash hit “Leave A Light On”. It is inspired by one of Walker’s friends who was in a dark place fighting a drug addiction, the light being left on represents Walker offering a place for his friend to open up to him:

If you look into the distance, there’s a house up on the hill

Guidin’ like a lighthouse

To a place where you’ll be safe to feel our grace

‘Cause we’ve all made mistakes

If you’ve lost your way

If you like rustic, you’ll like Walker’s voice. Artfully distressed, Walker sings with a rolling grumble reminiscent of a Rag n Bone Man style that he decorates by swooning into a crooner range that recalls modern Sam Smith anthems. This expansive production style is present on his duet ‘Now You’re Gone’ featuring Zara Larsson. Walker didn’t shy away from the big names in the music industry. Working with a list of notable producers, each track comes with stadium design. ‘Cry Out’ rings to the AM grind of Arctic Monkeys, ‘My Way’ is carried by a colourful EDM synth, ‘How can You Sleep At Night’ calls out to the echoing guitars of U2, and ‘Fade Away’ is lit up by cinematic orchestration. Boldly finishing the track list off with ‘Walk Alone’ featuring Rudimental, Walker leaves the album with a tidal wave of energy that washes away any personal doubts you might be carrying, leaving your hands free to hit the replay button.

A portrait of Walker makes up the album artwork, made from the images of people standing, this is a great representation of how accessible and relatable the album is. While some have called this album dull due to it’s mundanity, I believe the beauty of this album lies with it, in the middle of road, where most of us find ourselves on a regular basis. With albums like this coming out of Scotland in 2019, what a great time to be alive!