Reviewed by Adrian Cherrill

Bournemouth-based singer/songwriter Tom Whitman has, with the assistance of some friends, committed his first tentative steps into songwriting with 'Transparent Lives'. There is plenty of promise and effort within this six track EP, but with it some messy lyrics and some often rather one dimensional singing. A big plus point however is the thought that has gone into some of the arrangements, particularly on "Grace" and "Yahweh", which benefit from the input of producer and musician Mike Griffiths. There is definitely a burgeoning talent lurking somewhere in Tom, and a critical eye over the lyrics and a little more variety in the style of his guitar playing would see a massive improvement. This is evidenced by the final track "Stood Still", which is markedly better in overall structure and melody than the other five songs, with it's gently picked guitar accompaniment.

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