It’s time to talk about Tom
The whole column this week is dedicated to just one musician because it’s time to talk about the artist of the year, Tom Scott.
He’s just released Deuce ,a six-track sideswipe to 2019 that is at once timeless and of its time.
This is icing on the cake for Scott. His jazz opus Avantdale Bowling Club won album of the year at the New Zealand Music Awards, and the prestigious Taite prize in March. Radio New Zealand placed the album eighth in its best 21 albums of the 21st century and it’s only been out for a minute.
If you haven’t listened to the record, you should. Even if you think you don’t like jazz, or even if you think you don’t like rap, it’s an important album. He’s an important voice.
Scott was thrust into fame young with the success of Home Brew and @Peace, and perhaps could have handled himself better at times.
He said and did some things in public that he would probably do differently today.
That’s life. We want our artists to grow.
The man who stands at the centre of Avantdale Bowling Club’s maelstrom of music, delivering devastating verses, has levelled up not only as an artist but as a human being.
Fatherhood, responsibility, financial struggle, depression, and anxiety, have left visible marks on his soul. They are scars he wears with pride and expresses with pinpoint accuracy.
‘‘I don’t want a job I already got one, to speak hope to the people that ain’t got none’’ he preaches on Beyond from Deuce. He’s owning his new status.
He directed a short film this year, called Don’t Give Up Your Day Job, focusing on the choices artists make as they grow older. Like all his art it’s nuanced, thought-provoking, beautifully crafted, and unafraid. It’s on YouTube.
The most obvious comparison as a rapper is to Kendrick
Lamar. Scott interviewed Lamar several years ago, and it was clear they recognised kindred spirits in each other. They share artistic values, lyrical themes and place love for their community at the heart of everything they do.
Fellow Avondale, Auckland, local Melodownz crushes his guest spot as he and Scott go toe to toe on To Live and Die.
Stories are local but themes are universal. ‘‘I’m just trying to keep the landlord happy’’ from End of the Weak is a refrain for our times.
Matured but not quite mellow, Scott still loves to play provocateur. He’s publicly called out two successive prime ministers but seems to be getting more refined about it.
A record company asked him to delay the release of Deuce until next year to avoid a scheduling conflict, prompting Scott to leak the album online for free. That’s great for us because the beats by choicevaughn were built for summer and these songs couldn’t be more welcome in the world.