When reading into the background of singer-songwriter Tommy Botz, I was reminded of an old adage that it takes great emotional pain to make truly great music, and for artists this often manifests as some form of addiction. I don't think that is always the case, but I can think of a number of artists whose issues have lead to significant substance abuse, and yet through this or after this have produced some remarkably touching music.
There is John Frusciante's heroin addiction fuelled solo albums in the 90s, chaotic and abrasive records that are also gripping and heart breaking at the same time. There is the dark and haunting lyrics found on Manic Street Preacher's 'Holy Bible', the majority of which were written by guitarist Richie Edwards whose genius mind was driven to alcohol abuse, eating disorders and self-harm. There is the sublime discography of Elliott Smith which mostly consists of tales of depression, alcoholism and mental health problems. In country music some of the most legendary artists have gone through addiction; Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and Willie Nelson being some of the most notable.
Some of these artists survive it, but some like Edwards, Williams and Smith unfortunately don't. Tommy Botz is one of those who has lived through his addiction, and his story of surviving decades of alcohol abuse is a rather moving one. A budding music career was destroyed by drinking, and lead to years of alcohol abuse, prison and homelessness. So to be able to come back and make such a life-affirming collection of country and gospel songs is a quite remarkable feat.
The opener 'Maggie' musically is a re-working of many a great country rock tune, with a thumping beat, twinkly slide guitar and vibrato-heavy fiddle throughout. It's super catchy and you don't need to listen to this more than once for it to be stuck in your head. There's something very genuine about the subtlety of Tommy's vocal performance; there are moments where you can really feel the pain he is recalling from the soft quivering in his voice.
'Train of Glory' has the kind of snare-rolling, foot-tapping beat that you should expect from a song with that title, and Tommy's vocals go full-on Johnny Cash here. It's a lovely tale of equality and redemption that one can tell comes from a very authentic place in his soul. 'Could You Be The Girl' is a gorgeous piece of melancholia, even if it does have a lot of musical similarities to 'Maggie'. It continues to tell Tommy's story from a viewpoint more focused on the relationship he is striving for rather than one he is losing, and it makes for a wonderful counter-point to the album opener.
'Teddy Bear' is an interesting one, Tommy lending the microphone here to singer Logan Wells, whose faltering vocals combine excellently with the big piano and atmospheric instrumentation. The song is a sorrowful tale of losing a child which Tommy wrote for a fellow inmate some years ago. There's some true heartbreak here, but keeping with the theme of this record there is a feeling of redemption in the words too.
Tommy again lends the microphone on 'He's Comin Back', but this time to his fiancée Rose Marie, and it couldn't be more different from 'Teddy Bear'. This is a full on clap-your-hands and stomp-your-feet gospel number, complete with a rip-roaring guitar solo, biblical lyrics and bags of enthusiasm from the choir. It does exactly what you expect but in this context it isn't a bad thing; this kind of music isn't about re-inventing the wheel, it's about expressing faith and joy, something you can't deny is in full-throttle here.
The closer 'Mama (A Mother's Love)' is a softer tune where Tommy takes a full jump into the country-gospel hybrid. Whilst I don't find the tune quite as affecting as others on this record, Tommy's vocals still have the emotional delicacy that makes him such an engaging performer.
The highlights of this album, for me, are undoubtedly when Tommy is singing himself. The other singers on this record are superb at what they do and the two songs are well-written pieces; but there is something about Tommy's warm yet vulnerable vocals that make me wish I could hear more of it. The songs where Tommy's is in full country territory are really fantastic, particularly 'Maggie' and 'Could You Be The Girl'.
Tommy Botz has shown on 'Family and Friends' just how much potential he has as a singer-songwriter. It is no doubt a tragedy that alcohol took over his life for so many years, but history has shown that out of addiction can come amazing art. I sincerely hope he can continue to use his experiences to make beautiful country music like this, because Tommy Botz is a wonderful talent whose songs tell a tale of redemption that is deserving of high recognition.
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