Altsounds - T. H. White - Company Book [Album]

Having little previous knowledge about T.H.White or his music, it was through researching his Myspace page that educated me about this New York based multi-instrumentalist. T.H White's music has been used in a startling amount of television programs and advertisements, the best known probably being The Sopranos. His music has also been used in Reebok and BMW advertisements, so as you can imagine I was not quite sure what to expect from this album.

"Company Book" is an album that is hard to define. T.H. White crosses through a myriad of genres from Electro-Pop to Big Beat and also deep into Electro-House territory, meaning that while "Company Book" is unique and sometimes surprising, it is also somewhat muddled.

"Company Book" opener 'Fantasy Pictures' marries some heavily filtered, yet organic drums, with a slap rhythm guitar and heavy electro styled synths. 'Fantasy Pictures' is moody and atmospheric and an interesting album opener - due to it's immensely squelchy, almost Dubstep bass line synthesizer work. A pity then that "Company Book" never blossoms again into anything better than 'Fantasy Pictures'.

It must be said that "Company Book" remains a relatively strong album, with somewhat clear and coherent ideas, it is just that these ideas are never carried out to their full potential. T.H. White is certainly a talented musician and artist, but "Company Book" never reaches the levels that maybe it could or should have.

Track three 'Earth is On Fire' is a dark, robotic track with a standard, club friendly 4/4 beat and an auto panned vocal. In fairness the synth line is very lively indeed, but the line "forget what you want, forget what you need, the earth is on fire", although being current and desperately dark, is not quite up there with the best political songs you will hear. Having said that, 'Earth is On Fire' does contain a slight Prodigy-esque emotion to it.

'Recognise Real' is a sort of Electro-Rap song, in which T.H White does not really catch the true essence of either genre. 'Silver Gold' takes "Company Book" deep into dance territory with a lovely synth bass, but the quality of his (I am sure expensive) synthesizer is never matched with a high quality song. 'Indigo Evening' is a pure example of this. Deep into dance territory again T. H White tries to marry up Dance and Funk, but the overall effect is a non-coherent whole. This track was perhaps a success, as I think that I have heard it on The Sopranos somewhere or other. Musicians may or may not classify their music being played on television as a success, depending on their initial motives I guess (they can sometimes be classed as "selling out").

"Company Book" nonetheless was an interesting listen, although I would find it hard to get into the right mood to play the album again. At times "Company Book" wanted to be dark and moody, while at others, bouncy and playful. It's all just a little unsure of what it wants to be.

I am sure T. H White put a lot of effort into its production, as it is a well produced album. I just think that there was potentially a slight case of "third album syndrome" at work, after what was a relatively successful sophomore album in "The Private Spotlight". His debut album "More Than Before" came out in 2005.