Lea Thomas is a shapeshifting folk artist that likes to keep her fans guessing. Hailing from Maui, she’s ditched Hawaii for the more climatically variable and (I’m guessing) folk attuned Hudson Valley. It’s certainly had the benefit of being closer to TSMM favourite John Thayer who’s been enabling her singer songwriting whimsy, both in front of and behind the mixing desk.
Her new LP starts traditionally enough, but almost immediately notes start getting stretched beyond all reason into a firm bed of electric guitar drones and low key dramatic chords giving the opening track a (distant) thunderous, psychedelic slowcore backdrop for Thomas’ unhurried acoustic guitar picking and sunnier, daydreamy vocal delivery. With the scene set the album proceeds more or less on this course and to be honest I’d probably be content with that but, and I imagine with Thayer’s gentle encouragement, some freak folk rockiness, mazy shoegazyness and dream pop seamlessly morph into the mix to really elevate this LP over her more music by numbers inclined peers.
Quite why this LP is not getting more streams and sales is probably more to do with marketing budget than quality. Whilst you’re providing the grassroots word of mouth support or social media acceleration, can I suggest checking Blue of Distance - her ambient folk duet with Thayer, and the more recognisable good ol’ girl folk rock joys of Mirrors To The Sun. She’s one of the good ones.
Playlist Companion
Find Lea Thomas & more great artists in the Slow Indie-Folk Playlist: https://www.submithub.com/link/slow-indie-folk-playlist
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