Music is all about honesty. Music is all about truth. It is about exposing your fears, your quirks, and your insecurities for all the world to hear. A true musician isn't afraid to bare their soul. A true songwriter can take a small moment of inspiration, (however fleeting), draw from it, and craft it a beautifully rich, and thought-provoking song that will leave you tangled up in emotion for the next 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
That is Tracy Thorne.
Those emotions have laid the groundwork for Tracy's debut album, I Am That. The inspiration for the album is deeply rooted in the belief of embracing who you are, from the inside out, and owning it. It's about loving yourself and all the things that make you.... you- despite what anyone else may think. What I love most about the songs on this album are that none of them are in the typical themes of, "I Love You" or "I'm Sad That We're Not Together." This album views "Love" as exactly what it is: a much more complex emotion, with not everything being strictly black or white all the time; but rather, varying degrees of gray. The lyrics of Tracy's songs are so smart and somehow yet, so relate-able. Her sound is unique because the truthfulness in her words and melodies shine through on each and every track, making it impossible not to become hooked.
"I Am On A Shelf" tells the tale of a girl who is unappreciated by the man she so desperately loves. She's considering moving on to someone who will respect and acknowledge her, but is torn between her heart, and her better judgement. She can either stay with the man she loves, or start anew and "learn" to love the man who loves her. The song itself is a warning to her former love; letting him know that this is his last chance to do right by her or else its in her best interest to move on. Warning: You will NOT be able to get this song out of your head.
"Drum" describes how it feels to be in a relationship, and exist only for that person. To somewhat lose your own identity, and instead adapt to that of the person you're with.....Hence the phrase, "To March to the Beat Of Another Man's Drum." There isn't a woman alive who hasn't been in that type of situation.
"Everybody Knows" is a vulnerable and heartfelt tune about feeling like your letting go of your heart too quickly, and as a result, things not turning out how you expected. It's about thinking with your heart, and going into a relationship, despite the warnings of others. When things go wrong, you tend to question every moment that happened over the course that you were together. From the 1st time you met, to all of the things that may have led up to the end of the relationship. And you question if any of it was real....if any of it was ever true.
"Hook Line" describes her anxiety being around the guy that she has feelings for. It's about that feeling of "New-Love", you know the kind...when your stomach gets butterflies, your palms are sweaty, and nothing seems to come out exactly the way you want it to when you're around that person. It's about getting the courage to go tell the guy that you like him; and on the other hand having the courage to let love into your heart.
"Home By Now" tells the story of loving someone so desperately, that you're willing to accept that their heart and mind is elsewhere. You're willing to take whatever time and emotions you can get from that person, just to be apart of their world.
"Laugh About It In The Morning" is a catchy, up-tempo tune about getting over the experiences of a bad relationship, and moving on with someone new........ To be put through so much hurt, and to give so much of yourself to be in a relationship that isn't worth it, and then to find the light at the end of what was otherwise, a dark tunnel.
"Only Human" is a song that is so real and so vulnerable because it describes how there are going to be problems in every relationship, but you still love that person in spite of those problems. To hear some people tell it, "they know everything about love," when the truth of the matter is that they really don't. I don't think any of us really do. I think it's one of those things that you learn as you go along.....Sure you're gonna stumble and fumble sometimes, and mistakes will be made, but true love endures.
"Running With Scissors" is a metaphor for jumping into something head first without giving it a second thought. It's about completely going against everyone else's warnings, and instead, taking a chance with something or someone you know you probably shouldn't. Yeah, sure, it's crazy- but you'll never know unless you try.
"We Rise (Wesley's Song)" is the perfect end to a great album. The theme is that you don't have to be perfect to still rise above. Our imperfections are in fact, what make each of us different. She says "The heart of it all, is we rise and we fall, and still get up all over again."
All in all, I have had this album on repeat for the last few weeks. The combination of the lyrics and hooks, mixed with Tracy's vocal riffs are so infectious that I can't help but to LOVE this album. It's real.....real in subject matter, real in emotion....and that comes through the record. There are moments that you will feel sad, there are moments that you will feel like jumping up and dancing, there are moments that you will feel reflective....That's what this album does.....It makes you feel. It's one thing for that to come through in an intimate live performance, but to get that same effect from an album- is nothing short of amazing.
For more on Tracy and her music, check out her site: http://tracythornemusic.com/
You can buy this CD at the following sites
iTunes- https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-am-that/id598628988
Band Camp- http://tracythorne.bandcamp.com/
Tracy's Site- http://tracythornemusic.com
Until Next Time.....