Single Review: Tom Figgins - 'Giants Played In Woods Like These'
I first saw Tom Figgins in 2011 at Grassington Festival. He
played in support of folk legend, Kate Rusby. A man and a guitar, the fresh
faced 19-year-old looked tiny on that big stage. That was until he started to
play. A highly skilled guitarist, Tom quickly drew the audience in. His
plucking was beautifully complemented by the pleasant tones of his voice, and
the lyrics of a storyteller seemingly far more mature than his age suggested.
Skip on a few years to find Tom Figgins with hundreds of
gigs around the UK under his belt. Open mic nights, festivals, and all sorts in
between, have seen him grow from strength to strength.
'Giants Played in Woods Like These' is – while still
possessing the same level of penmanship – a very different beast from his debut
EP 'Your Place'. A full production piece, synths, strings, the whole package;
this is the culmination of potential realised. Tom has worked hard to be
noticed, to spread his musical seed, and the industry has rightly taken note. The
opening seconds of the track showcase what this man is capable of; pretty
acoustic guitar over an uplifting beat couple sweetly with a voice brimming
with feeling. Choral backing vocals rise and fall atmospherically to take you
away, lifting, building with the string section, the drums spurring you along what
becomes an almost epic composition. Before you know it all falls away leaving
you where I was 4 years ago; sitting in the middle of the woods, surprised and
delighted by what has just been delivered.
Tom Figgins is a name we’re going to be hearing a lot more
of in the near future.
Words of Samuel Hylands.'Giants Played in Woods Like These' is released 2nd October and will be available for download on iTunes, along with his previous EP releases 'Your Place' and 'Wake Up'.