Tubby Love – The Real Thing EP
Track Listing:
1.) Miracle
2.) The Real Thing
3.) Simple City
4.) Afro
5.) Shining
The Pier Album Rating:
Release Date: May 5th, 2012
Official Website: Tubby Love Website
Group Background:
Tubby Love, real name Andrew Terrett, is on a musical mission to pay homage to the universal positive vibration with his conscious lyrics and contagious melodies. Love’s soul-saturated sound is heavily soaked in rootsy rhythms and coupled with a live performance energy that will allow you to truly experience the music.
Tubby Love has just recently returned from the beautiful island of Kauai where he spent time recording the first part of a 3 part album. With his latest EP, “The Real Thing” is the first step towards that 3 part album. The EP features artists like Aaron Lipp from Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and Rubblebucket Horns.
Album Review:
There’s not much other information online, but by giving away the EP for free it seems Tubby Love is letting the music speak for itself. The artfully composed songs and soulful lyrics speak volumes more than any carefully drafted bio or press release. Everything we need to know about Tubby Love is interwoven in these 5, far from simple, tracks.
Subtle organ fills, paired with acoustic guitar and clear soulful lyrics give The Real Thing a lighthearted and optimistic feeling that leaves you wanting more. As the title track to the EP, it highlights the clear, soothing vocals present throughout and their ability to infuse snippets of other genres into a sound that is truly unique. Each song on the EP is vastly different from the next yet has the ability to maintain a cohesive structure throughout.
The lyrics of Simple City depict the struggle between the corruption and greed lurking around every corner and wanting to live an honest, simple life, “we don’t got to be the richest or the biggest either, as long as we got what we need.” It’s wildly refreshing to hear a song that conveys a real message and addresses current problems in society rather than building around a catchy chorus that means nothing at all.
Not everything on the EP is so serious though. The aptly named Afro is an instrumental afrobeat that takes things up a notch and is filled to the brim with layers upon layers of sound. The production quality is spot on, letting even the smallest note shine through. With each listen I discover new sounds and fills that I hadn’t heard the last time.
Overall, Tubby Love’s The Real Thing EP gives listeners a clear picture of what the group is capable of. By compiling five entirely different tracks, their extreme talent and versatility is laid out for all to see. With such a strong debut release it won’t be long before throngs of fans are counting down until the next time Tubby Love passes through their city.
Written & Reviewed By: Ashley Allred
[Editors Note: All reviews are reflective of the album in it’s entirety, from start to finish. These reviews are the honest opinion of each writer/reviewer, expressing their feedback as a genuine fan of the music. Each star rating reflects their review of the album, not the band. Music is subjective. Regardless of the review or star rating, we encourage you to listen to the music yourself & form your own opinion. Spread the awareness of all music in its art & contribution]
