Fred Thomas' brooding voice in his solo record, Flood, is a departure from the uplifting indie rock of his other musical project, Saturday Looks Good To Me. Flood shows Thomas has a tremendous range as an artist, with a mix of quieter songs that are captivating and deeply personal.
The last cut on Flood, appropriately named "Last One," is part minimalist folk and part psychedelic rock with artful experimentation. Behind Thomas' rhythmic guitar work are echoing harmonies, and a colorful guitar riff that sways in and out, with interplay between multiple variations of the melody.
Thomas is an incredibly prolific songwriter who's worked on a number of other projects, including His Name is Alive, Lovesick and Flashpapr. Flood is his sixth solo album. Thomas wrote the songs last winter during a period he describes as "a rough time." Moving between Michigan, Portland and New York with "no place to live" made him realize that "environment affects work."
Thomas' heroes — free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler and Joy Division's Ian Curtis — along with growing up around the Ann Arbor, Michigan punk scene have fueld his enthusiasm for music.
A restless creative spirit who "writes four to five songs a week," Thomas plans to continue to record and split time between touring solo and with Saturday Looks Good To Me.
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