San Francisco musician, Pat Thomas, has been a staple of the scene for years with his band Cool Ghouls. Today he unleashes a new music endeavor with his solo project and full-length record, I Ain't Buyin' It on Empty Cellar Records. "Alternator" is a groovy taste of what Thomas is all about - light-hearted, fully fleshed out arrangements and easy-going vibes that are sure to please.
It's easy to peg Thomas on his swinging '60s throwback tropes, but there's more to him than breezy California sunshine rock. He offers lush layers within his songwriting full of sonic explorations to feast your ears on. While he might draw comparisons to Magical Mystery Tour-era Beatles tunes, there's an added epicness and full-bodied approach that brings a welcomed touch of modernity. The idiosyncrasies of his vocal delivery, the larger-than-life grand pianos and the not-so-slight nod at Motown era R&B is sheer bliss.
Not unlike the back and forth sway of the song, the lyrics feel like a rotunda of new beginnings. It's quite fitting for an experienced songwriter embarking on this fresh journey. While most of the record conveys a deeper inner dialogue on the paradox of life in a city such as San Francisco, "Alternator" takes the displacement often felt in today's America and twists it on its head. It offers a new way to break through the mundane of this American life with a variety of head-spinning solutions:
Alternator, alternate your mind
Recalibrate your time
Reality changes from within
Spin, spin, spin alternator
If you're vibing with this sunny reprieve provided by Pat Thomas, be sure to check out the rest of I Ain't Buyin' It out today on Empty Cellar Records.
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