Songstress Sandi Thom to Release New Single, Earthquake
Tales of heartache are common storylines in music. So, what happens when the lyrics that roll off a singer's tongue mirror those of their own, most private anguish? An autobiographical recording is born.
In 2014, multi-platinum selling, singer-songwriter, Sandi Thom suffered a devastating life event when a long-term, romantic relationship dissolved without notice. She recalls the impact of the empty house after he moved out and likened the pain to being hit by an earthquake, where the world shatters around you and everything you once knew and held dear suddenly is taken from you. (I remember learning of the break up on social media and how saddened Thom's close-knit group of followers were on the day she posted the news.)
Resilience, family, and friends saw Thom over the crisis. It inspired her to write the new single, "Earthquake." The power, pop-ballad is a mere glimpse of what's to come from the pop, folk, rock and blues artist, who plans to release her first self-produced album, Weapons Of Past Destruction in spring 2016, on Scottish label MITA. "Earthquake" is available for download beginning November 27, 2015, via iTunes.
"It's the catch 22 of being a songwriter. You have to suffer through something real and raw to come out with your best a work. In a strange way, the pain of the break up inspired me to write my best album ever, so in some ways I'm thankful for having gone through it all," says Thom.
Viewers will find more than one "Earthquake" video circulating around the internet. After watching three, I discovered that each format impacted me differently. First is the official music video (seen above), shot with a 360 degree GoPro. Here, Thom presents as four characters trapped in one room. Each personality displays a varied level of disillusionment. It's an interesting concept that is perfect for MTV (that's if MTV still played cool videos). 
Second is the official lyric video which visualizes phrases swirling about a transparent, spinning globe. Perhaps the intent is to connect the world to one universal burden? Then, in watching Thom's live performance aired on Vintage TV, the magnitude of her grief struck me to the core. Never before have I seen the singer more vulnerable than in this footage. Not only does the strain of despair resonate in her angelic vibrato, the look in her eyes tell us something more.
In my mind, gone are the days of "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In Her Hair)." Thom has evolved into a grown woman singing about big girl stuff, where real pain is a tragic component in life, as evidenced by this song and similar tracks from her last few studio albums.
"Earthquake" is strikingly honest and poignant, where, in the end, the only path to recovery is by letting go of the past and crossing over to a triumphant space.
Please stay tuned for more on Sandi Thom in the coming months, as Bluebird Reviews staff plan to write a full album review and interview the songstress. Related articles include: Flesh and Blood, Sandi Thom: Maine Debut, The Global Reach of Sandi Thom, and recently, The Tale of Two Sandi's: Interview with Sandi Thom. For more information please visit the artist's website, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube
Yours in music,
DebFromMaine Hebert
Photos courtesy of Sandi Thom. Video courtesy of Sandi Thom and Vintage TV.
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