Tom Williams & The Boat - Easy Fantastic

It’s a frustration most apparent on “25”, where, in a Tunbridge Wells drawl, he rues a lack of recognition. ‘‘There’s a brand new life for me out there/If only I could land those aces” – he sings, presumably while watching Turner playing the opening ceremony of the Olympics in 2012, thinking ‘There but for the grace of God, go I’. But Tom is certainly defeatist in tone; the ‘’25 and still alive’’ refrain is delivered with slumped shoulders rather than a chest-beating zeal.

It’s hard to understand how he’s remained relative obscure while other enjoy the limelight too, as his song writing, which comes across strongly on new album Easy Fantastic, is more than up to scratch. A slightly bolder sonic palette is embraced on “Satellite”, a War on Drugs-like propulsive pop track wrapped in soft synths and sinewy guitars. “All Day” too shows off his knack for penning a robust hook. When he imparts “I’ll be thinking of you babe/All day”, there’s a refreshing breeziness to it, and it balances the album’s tone elegantly.

You certainly get the sense that all of this comes very easy to him. The album has the feel of a collection of effortless song writing, but it lacks the sucker punch single to launch him to new levels of notoriety. While accomplished, it comes and goes without leaving much of a mark, and although a clear talent is evident, its impact is ephemeral. It’s definitely more ‘Easy pretty good’ than Easy Fantastic, but it comes from an artist certainly deserving of a higher profile.