When this calendar year commenced I had a list of albums I expected to evaluate for review. Anthonie Tonnon's Successor was not one of them. This isn't because I specifically rejected the notion of listening to his album. Rather, it is because I had never heard of Tonnon, either as a single artist or in his previous projects Tono and Tono & the Finance Company. However, I'm nothing if not flexible and it took but one listen to Successor to decide that it required repeated listens. With a lyrical songwriting style that ranges from broadly observational to humorous to personal, and a knack for a good melody, Tonnon delivers nine fully formed and generous songs that defy neat characterization of influences. If pressed, I'd say that there is a hint of '80s pop on a number of tracks, especially with the motorik beat and accenting guitar lines, and reminders of David Bowie at other points. But "Bird Brains" is more Teenage Fanclub than David Bowie or or Krautrock and "Sugar In The Petrol Tank" and "A Friend from Argentina" remind me of the soaring folk pop of American band Beirut. Overall, the effect is of wide-ranging ballads focused on communicating with the listener, ably delivered by Tonnon's expressive vocals. Take Successor for a test drive with the fourth and fifth tracks below.
On Successor Tonnon is assisted by Jonathan Pearce, Stuart Harwood, and Eddie Castelow. The album is out now via Canape King Records everywhere but the United States (I suggest using the Bandcamp link below), and will be out soon in the United States via Wild Kindness Records.
Bandcamp
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Wild Kindness Records
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