Thomas Patrick Maguire on Weemayk Music

Justin from Weemayk Music (why didn't I get that until just now?) sent their latest single in from Thomas Patrick Maguire. Both of which are new additions (to me) in the insane web of labels and artists that is Brooklyn....or actually more east in Queens I think for Thomas.

Corporation Town, the A-Side seems like it may have inspired the look of this minimal, all UPC sleeve, but lest you think this is some kind of protest, acoustic guitar style, Thomas is taking it in a kind of reserved direction, like those classic Hayden 4-track albums. Understated in a slow tempo, mixed just right, his vocals, close mic'd, just breaking through the melody. It's like later Elliot Smith, the fully developed stuff on XO, and I think like Elliott he's playing all the backup instrumentation. It has that same devastating sentiment when you get in there to pay attention to the lyrics. It's not an angry protest at all, but a reluctant observation, the city and all it's industry doesn't have anything to do with the individual people that make it. I can appreciate an artist who has more to say than autobiographical love songs.
The flip side, Divorce Man, has Thomas working in more stripped down acoustic stumming, sounding like Paul Westerberg on this one, going after a character divorced from everything. You can hear the years of experience playing live on this one. He's been comfortable behind his instrument for a while and is taking all that experience in raw songwriting and fully realizing it into these two.
I love the classic looking old school labels on the vinyl from Weemayk. It reminds me of looking through stacks of singles in that crazy basement thrift store up the street.

Get this straight on clear green vinyl from Weemayk Music:

The "Corporation Town" / "Divorce Man" single is available now as a download from all major outlets and is available as a green vinyl 7-inch on Amazon.com and direct from WeemaykMusic.com.