Tom finds his voice to say sorry to old love
WHEN Tom Grennan started out he aped Paolo Nutini and Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys.
He then tried out Tom Jones, Elvis Presley and Ray Charles and hit No5 with his 2018 debut album Lighting Matches.
But for the follow-up, Evering Road, he now sings as himself, with a sandpaper rasp listeners instantly know is him.
The 26-year-old from Bedford said: “My first album, I didn’t really know what I was doing.
“I was learning on the job and frankly it did what it did and people loved it.
“But this album I really knew what I wanted. I really knew what I wanted it to sound like.
“I’m not conscious of trying to sound unique. That’s what comes out my throat.”
Evering Road is the name of a strip of houses in Hackney, London.
It’s also the place Tom lived out the dizzying highs and lows of his last relationship – and the place that gives his second album its name.
He said: “It was the hub of love, the hub of heartbreak and the hub of redemption too.
“All these different things happened in this house and on this street. This relationship was all around that area. It just felt right to name it that.”
He had no aspirations in music and trained to become a professional footballer, playing for Luton Town before his career stalled.
Much has been made of the fact his first real performance came at a house party, egged on by friends to sing Seaside by The Kooks, a twee indie favourite.
After that, he began to gig around London’s toilet circuit before being spotted by the boss of Insanity Records at The Finsbury Pub during a gig to some 30 punters.
He was signed off the back of that performance.
STATEMENT Tom Grennan
Since then he has collaborated with Chase & Status, Ella Henderson, Bugzy Malone and superproducer Fraser T Smith,
Evering Road is an excoriating listen as Tom says sorry to the girl he wronged. The songs show him growing up and owning up to his shortfalls – his ego as he found success and his drinking habits.
While he hopes he’s a better man now, the relationship fell apart before the pandemic and he spent the first lockdown back home in Bedford.
In July, he moved into a new house in north London with his cousin.
Unsurprisingly, he was keen to release the album, given he has sat with it for so long.
“I have the weight of that whole story still on my shoulders. I feel ready for it to be out in the world,” he said.
“Then I can finally move on with my life and also let other people into what my life was and hopefully help other people with their lives.” ● Evering Road by Tom Grennan is out now.
ALEX GREEN