For years New England-based Tom Thumb split time between carefully arranged home recordings of pop songs and spare, melodic solo acoustic performances. With the addition of a full band, Tom Thumb has effected the change from delicate, bedroom folk to densely layered pop. For the past year they have honed their sound playing in clubs around Boston and Providence with the likes of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The expansive sound of Tom Thumb and the Latter Day Saints is built around the tight interweave of guitar, electric piano and vocal harmonies underscored by subtly complex song structures and rhythms.

The band holed up in a church in Maine for a weekend in the dead of winter and recorded Kindermusik live to eight tracks. As a result, these songs sound natural and unlabored, balancing the energy and urgency of live performance with the clarity of studio work. Deftly engineered by Dave Coleman to capture the open, roomy sound of the church, it also retains the warmth and detail of the songs.

Tom Thumb’s sound has been compared to that of bands like Spoon, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, M. Ward and even Yo La Tengo. But what Tom Thumb and the Latter Day Saints share most of all with these bands is not a direct genre lineage, but rather an ability to tap into a song form that is at once familiar and fresh. By incorporating a variety of influences and not adhering to genres or aping trends, Tom Thumb creates music that exists in the space between styles.

Releases by Tom Thumb and the Latter Day Saints:

Track Listing

01 - Growing Boy
02 - '78
03 - Real Small Talk
04 - Dark Rooms
05 - Preach (mp3)
06 - Gracie's Mine
07 - Atlantic City

Band Website: www.tomthumbmusic.com

Reviews for Kindermusik EP

"The songs, rich and layered, resonate with depth and texture without sounding unnatural or too polished. ...Highlight of the year and a must for fans of indie rock. Catch ’em before their success catches you by surprise."
- Bob Gulla, Boston Phoenix

"The band’s sound has been compared to that of Wilco, Spoon and My Morning Jacket, but their upbeat take on the indie rock genre impresses by its own merits. Tracks like Growing Boy and Real Small Talk exude a youthful wisdom, and sound engineer Dave Colemen’s studio recording captures the exuberance of live performance." - Brent Covington, Edge

"Despite the frigid conditions in which Kindermusik was created, the seven songs on it exude the warmth of a singer-songwriter working with his band, instead of one directing it." - Steve Forstneger, Illinois Entertainer

"Compelling rhythms with fitted melodies and vocals that sound like Thom Yorke was singing them." - Smother.net

" I’m not sure how familiar Tom Thumb’s music is outside of a small blogging circle, but I’m certain that if he continues the path he’s currently on, he’ll garner a lot of attention in the future." - Muzzle of Bees