Review: Tom Kilner – Borrowed Time

Self Release (April 12^th 2024)

Reviewer: Chris O’Connor

This is a genuinely curious release, and even now, after repeated spins, I’m still not entirely sure what I make of it. Initially I mistakenly thought Tom must be an American, imagine my surprise on learning he is from Rotherham! His debut album is quite the musical ‘melting pot’, as it mixes Southern Rock with soulful Americana, and what feels like road weary Blues, and American heartland New Country – so there is a lot to absorb.

Firstly, Tom has a truly amazing deeply soulful voice, which instantly sets his music apart from a lot of other artists. There is nothing forced or artificial here, he pours his heart and soul into every word, and the sincerity and passion is undeniable. Album opener ‘Cosmic Sounds’ is very much in the vein of classic Marshall-Tucker Band (always a good thing), while ‘Devil’s Gate’ has more than a hint of Doraville’s finest Atlanta Rhythm Section (again surprisingly pleasing).

‘One Day At A Time’ falls into the Americana category, it’s a slower more contemplative number than the two openers. ‘On The Other Side’ is a pureblood Southern Rock gem, and is one of my favourite songs on the album – the slide guitars alone are wonderful! ‘Only You’ slows things right down, and is a tender fusion of New Country and Americana. It has a naggingly insistent refrain which digs its way into your subconscious. The lead fiddle may not be to everyone’s taste – but it’s certainly a song that is both elegant and eloquent.

‘Borrowed Time’ is a fiery mix of Southern Rock and New Country, it has a boot-stamping swagger, it almost reminds me of a long-lost Southern Rock band called The Delta Rebels, again, this is a song that puts a huge grin on my face, I kind of wish Tom would stick to this grittier stuff, as he does it with such aplomb. ‘No More’ veers back into more Country territory, it’s a song that has the ‘heart’ of the former, and the ‘soul’ of the latter – if you follow my drift?

‘Heart Of Gold’ begins with a subtle almost dreamy riff, which makes you think it will be a ballad, before surprisingly hitting a Southern Rock style riff that totally caught me by surprise, it’s at the more Country Rock end of Southern Rock, but is totally splendid – almost reminding me of The Outlaws (a huge compliment). ‘Light It Up’ is a glorious Southern Boogie romp, that tears along with glorious abandon, and again is one of the album’s undoubted high points, it’s nothing short of perfect.

The album closes with the (very) Country ‘Ride With Me’, and this is one that makes me go “what?” I guess if you’re a fan of Charlie Daniels or Willie Nelson, then you will love this – but it leaves me a bit cold. For me, ‘Borrowed Time’ is something of a flawed masterpiece, in places utterly brilliant, and in others perplexing confusing. I kind of feel like Tom is struggling to find a cohesive path to follow – I’d tell him to follow his Southern Rock route, as he does it brilliantly. This album (for me anyway) is a case of “yer pays yer money…”

Tracklist: 

1. Cosmic Sounds
2. Devils Gate
3. One Day At A Time
4. On The Other Side
5. Only You
6. Borrowed Time
7. No More
8. Heart Of Gold
9. Light It Up
10. Ride With Me

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