Tom Baxter EP

Tom Baxter is blessed with a talent to melt even those who feel inevitably bored around singer-snoozing-songwriters. The Jeff Buckley comparisons are unavoidable given the power and quavering breathiness of his voice, right down to the graceful Columbia label on these beautifully packaged three tracks. But for a debut release the maturity of his voice and the arrangements are gobsmacking. ‘My Declaration’ is a stirring pledge to self-betterment, starting as a simple piano track before developing into full blown epic that manages to harness the power of an orchestra without sounding cheesy, ‘Joanna’ is a love song in the purest sense, while the heartbroken ‘Half A Man’ demands to be served under late night and candles.