AVANTDALE BOWLING CLUB ‘Old Dogs’
Written by Admin on August 21, 2018
Without a doubt, Tom Scott’s Avantdale Bowling Club has been one of the most highly anticipated local releases of the last few years. Across the 8 tracks on the album, the depth and maturity of Tom Scott’s songwriting reaffirms just how much of a master storyteller he has become. The credit list of musicians who contributed to the album are too long to mention here, but through the extended process of recording, reviewing and arranging, the final versions of these songs show just how integral the musical side of this project is to the overall story that Tom communicates.
“This record is about…growing up. I think. It’s about dealing with your own stuff for once. Accepting responsibility, maybe. It’s a self help book addressed to myself. And just like every other piece of art ever made in history of the hominid, I was going through some shit when I was making it. I’d just left home and everyone I knew, looking to chase a dream. It was an awkward phase, like stage two puberty. I was learning how to be grown. Humility had my pride in a headlock. I was the old man at the art exhibition, the young boy at the art gallery. Everyone was in a K-hole, I was at K-Mart.” – Tom Scott
Deciding on just a single track to feature this week, ‘Old Dogs’ become the obvious pick. Relatively short compared to some of the 7+ minute other pieces on the album, Tom employs a familiar reference for his lyrical focus: Basketball – using metaphors and key references which also add an age and historical context which further sets the scene for where Tom has come from, and where he is at now.
Listen for yourself.
Old Dogs credits
Conceptualised by: Hiroshi Suzuki and Tom Scott
Drums: Julien Dyne
Bass: Chip Matthews
Rhodes: Guy Harrison
Vibes: Fin Scholes and John Bell
Horn: Isaac Aesili
Gat: Jeremy Toy
BVs: Tonga and Rizvan
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Turn It Up is a feature on Base FM where we showcase a new track from Aotearoa every week. Tune in weekdays at 10am and 4pm to hear this weeks top local pick.
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