TOMMY ROGERS, lead vocalist, keyboardist and founding member of the award-winning North Carolina progressive rock band BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME (also BTBAM) will release his debut solo album Pulse on February 1, 2011 via Metal Blade Records. The versatile front man and multi-instrumentalist, who not only self-produced the record, but also arranged, composed and played all instruments on the recording, will use the pseudonym THOMAS GILES (his given middle name) as his moniker for the project.
Recorded with Jamie King at The Basement Studios in Winston-Salem, NC, THOMAS GILES’ Pulse is a challenging rock record designed so that the parts build up to a larger, cinematic-like structure where everything from production to arrangements to lyrics to album art is carefully crafted towards a unified purpose. Testing the limits of what he can do naturally with his voice, ROGERS’ strikingly beautiful falsetto and dynamic range conjures tales of anxiety, collapse, end-times and strength against swelling, heart-lifting arrangements and pristine backdrops of ambient loops, digital burbles, analog hiss and woozy drones. Exploring combinations of the outré genres of both post-rock and glitch, the music’s emotionally resonant yet textural sounds draw reference to artists such as Radiohead, Björk, the Verve, Beck, Stereolab and Spiritualized, balancing both rock and electronic impulses.
“Creating this album was a very unique experience for me,” comments ROGERS. “I honestly never thought I would get a lot of this music recorded. This record was a way for me to step back, focus on simplified song structures and really build off of melodies. Even though I love fucking my throat up by screaming, it was very nice to sit back and chill out a bit. I named the record “Pulse” because it is a collection of thoughts and experiences I’ve had through the years. It’s a very personal record and I hope the songs help people evaluate their lives and make the best of their time here. Find your pulse.”
The first single from the record is the introspective album opener “Sleep Shake”. In keeping with the record’s single-handed motif, TOMMY ROGERS filmed, edited and stars in the song’s colorful in-studio music video, which is expected to make its premiere imminently.
“I hope everyone enjoys this record, as I feel there is something for everyone on it,” says ROGERS. “And don’t you all worry; BTBAM is writing new material as I type. We have a very busy year 2011 planned which includes lots of new music and touring. Stay tuned.”
“exciting…(a) wide-ranging reinvention of traditional forms” – THE ONION
“Tommy Rogers virtually sings in tongues…the most delicate and (sounds like) professionally trained tenor ever performed in this sort of context.” – GROUND CONTROL
“a gorgeous vocal climb…absolutely flawless” – PREFIX
