Describing Fred Thomas' musical output as prolific hardly begins to capture the depth of his work with influential bands such as Saturday Looks Good To Me, City Center, Flashpapr, Swimsuit, and Lovesick, in addition to his numerous solo albums.
And yet, even with this multitude of works to his credit, Thomas remains an insatiable songwriter -- one who keeps searching for new outlets to experiment with both sonically and lyrically.
Which brings us to Mighty Clouds: a brand new project that finds Thomas re-teaming with Betty Marie Barnes, a talented singer who provided vocals for SLGTM's Every Night and Fill Up the Room.
The result is a collaboration of the sort that can only occur when two musicians connect on a level that goes beyond the songs they are performing. Throughout Mighty Clouds' self-titled debut, Thomas and Barnes's musical camaraderie generates a gentle electricity that exudes intimacy and beckons the listener to move in for a closer listen.
Against a backdrop of delicate, unified instrumentation and subtle orchestration, Barnes' incredible voice and Thomas' songwriting prowess shine unabated. With its stripped-down sound Mighty Clouds strikes a unique balance between Thomas' sparse solo recordings and SLGTM's Spector-esque production values.
Says Barnes, "These songs really feel like a nice blend of SLGTM and Fred's solo stuff, which is pared down and a bit more personal. It's the best of both worlds."
Her allusion to worlds is apt in light of the international boundaries Barnes had to cross while flying from Sweden (her current home base) to Michigan for three days in the summer of 2009 to record vocals to tape in Thomas' home basement studio.
During this brief time period, the duo worked together on harmonies and song structures before Barnes had to depart -- leaving it in Thomas' capable hands to add all of the instruments, solidify the arrangements, and ultimately mix the final version of the record over the next seven months.
What we’re left with is Mighty Clouds’ amazingly crafted self-titled debut -- an album that showcases the highly overlooked talent of Thomas and Barnes and captures the attention of anyone that comes within earshot.
