The Tin Man - Too Many lines
Unexpectedly powerful would best describe The Tin Man's Too Many Lines EP. As harsh tracks are softened by pleading ones and rounded out by resolute introspections with music that speaks just as loudly as the words do, you'll find that Too Many Lines is one of few debut EPs that stays with you long after you've listened.
Opening dauntlessly with the huge, classic country inspired title track, "Too Many Lines" grabs you instantly with strong harmonies and serene chords that lazily drift into modern influences and story-like lyrics worthy of laying back and sinking into. A heady honesty leads the track with sweet sentiments and a genuine melody that just keeps pressing forward until you've no choice but to get caught up.
"Don't Want To Be Free" is rough and tangibly frustrated with heavy riffs, forceful beats, and Seese's ever emotive vocals taking center stage and standing in stark contrast to the prettily plaintive, but ultimately consenting, "Please Don't Let Me Go". The two are kept separate by the most, production-wise, charming of the bunch, "Already Gone" with a lush instrumentation and dreamy soundscape that dips into reality without losing its passion. Honest lyrics wash over authentic, aching chords and slip into echoed harmonies in a melancholy, dramatic sense and held together by a simple riff that's as strong as it is enchanting.
"I Know I" closes the EP with consciousness and acceptance, pleads and wishes turning into uttered words on a breath of fresh air. An airy production confidently carries mantras through a full, anthemic sound with a clearly painted picture of open spaces and new beginnings in a pretty closing that so assuredly states that more is yet to come.
While we're hesitant to name one track as our favorite and cheapen the other so great tracks put forth on The Tin Man's debut EP, "Already Gone" will be playing on an endless loop for a long while.
The easy juxtaposition of wistful sentiments and assertive sense are intriguing and the evolving style and rounded talents of The Tin Man's concise but full Too Many Lines has us eagerly looking forward to what comes next. Check out the EP, choose your own favorites, see what The Tin Man (aka Marshall Seese) had to say about the album in our interview here, and head to all of those sites below to stay up to date with the singer-songwriter.