Tom Verlaine - Dreamtime
#376
By Rob Haneisen
July 1, 1981
Tom Verlaine
Dreamtime
Allen’s Rating: 3 out of 5
Rob’s rating: 3.5 out of 5
Genre: Post-NYC punk
Highlights:
There’s a Reason
Without a Word
Fragile
Founding Television guitarist Tom Verlaine shows what the Talking Heads would have sounded like if they employed a more muscular-sounding and versatile guitarist on his second solo album “Dreamtime.”
My first reaction halfway through the opening track of “There’s a Reason” was that this was such a David Byrne rip-off in terms of vocal style. It’s that falsetto, catchy throat delivery that almost sounds like the singer is a bit short of breath and he’s just kind of squeaking out the words. It was high style in the 80s and I honestly did not like it. I just kind of reeked of artsy pretension or maybe a confession of the singer’s vocal shortcomings.
But the more this album progressed the more I grew to appreciate and really like Verlaine’s guitar playing. Yes, it has the hallmark jangly sound of so many early 80s bands but there are some muscular chords worked in, some serious riffing and some solo work that made me pause what I was doing and just listen. His style has a swanky, skanky groove infused with serious rock edge.
By the time I was deep into the third track “Always” I was oddly hooked and nodding my head and looking forward to the guitar solo or some unconventional rhythm break.
There’s a haunting quality to “Without a Word” but the song is honestly over too quickly.
Lyrically, there are some gems here.
From “There’s a Reason”, the opening lines: “Walking slowing into romance/Lions roaring by the entrance”
From “Without a Word”, we have “There comes coolness/to the palm of her hand/as she watches the lilies/blooming in the sand”
And from “Fragile” there’s this: “They've stolen my secret longings for you/Please can't you tell me/is that the worst they can do?”
As formulaic as some of the songs start to seem, you have “Down on the Farm” that sports a great rock guitar riff and beefy beat. The closing track “Mary Marie” almost sounds like some ‘50s blues-rock torch song until it dives into a guitar solo that just wows with its delicacy and energy.
Tom Verlaine was definitely a discovery for me here. I’d heard Television before but “Dreamtime” was a bit of a gem. As talented as Verlaine is on the guitar, you have to admire his restraint. No solo is too long, each song is tight and economic, and there’s purpose to his playing. Unexpectedly, I dig it.
https://open.spotify.com/album/3ZffEglreyT9o7ZJf9splN?si=IZ_0h8p7SNGQNOP4L8bYZA
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