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Thomas Rose has a soft fresh multi-genre music that borderlines a pop rock type sound. The music is tight and very well constructed, each song is a colorful blend for a unique and refreshing sound. I did hear some country to this music but it is overshadowed by the pop rock sound. The CD case is good quality and you just have to love the peace loving hippie cat on the front.
Songs that caught my attention were Too High a Mountain, this is a nice flowing tune that brought back hints of the 80's for me. Miss You was another song I liked, this one was faster and had some memorable lyrics to it.
It is nearing the middle of fall here so the trees are alive with color, the music seemed to enhance the mood. Fall Guy was one of these songs that made things seem like they had more going on. Circling was another song I liked, the music is very easy to shove in your ears, crisp lyrics and soft rock sounds. - New Artist Radio - 10/11/2006
Area club-goers know his music and readers of the Daily Advance might even know his byline. Thing is, you might not know he's the same person.
Thomas Rose, musician, is also Toby Tate, journalist and assistant layout editor for the Daily Advance. His incarnation as a musician came first, however.
A solo act performing throughout the Elizabeth City (and Hampton Roads, Va.) area, Toby Tate had decided once-upon-a-time he needed a stage name.
"Toby Tate didn't have a showbiz ring to it," Tate says.
So he drew from his experience in a fifth grade Spanish class when his teacher needed to give him a name that would translate in Spanish. Thomas Rose was born.
So Tate, performing as Rose, has released his second CD. "Kitty," is a compilation of 10 original songs Tate says he's played over the past two years and received strong audience response.
"I've written hundreds (of songs) and of all those these are the best," Tate says.
Tate's contemporary style can be likened to David Gray or Chris Issacs, he says. It's a sort of country/rock hybrid that he says creates a sound all its own.
"It's right in the middle between rock and country," Tate says.
Tate's musical background isn't limited to songwriting and performing. He's an experienced sound engineer and producer who once owned a Virginia Beach, Va. recording studio. These days, however, Tate's studio is tucked away in his attic.
The entire CD was written, performed, produced and engineered by Tate. Even the cover art, he says, was created using computer design programs.
And the work Tate put into the CD is a labor of love.
"I'm really just aiming to make music for friends and family," Tate says. "I wanted to make something I like, that I listen to. I wanted to make something that represents me as a person."
Tate's CD is available online at www.tomrosemusic.com or locally at Just Released, located inside Southgate Mall. As for hearing him live, Tate's alter-ego has taken a backseat to his day job recently but will resurface Aug. 15 at Muddy Water's in Elizabeth City. - The Daily Advance - Aug. 4, 2006
Influenced by Creedence Clearwater Revival, REM, Police, Johnny Cash and many others, Thomas Rose's album, King for a Day offers an array of feel good songs. Simply, a great lineup of songs that flow from one to the next gracefully while the album seemingly fixates you as it unfolds. The big impact for me was during the middle where out of nowhere comes a manipulated voice saying: "Attention K Mart shoppers..." I don't know why i like that so much, but I do. A word of advice: listen to this CD! - Storyline Records
Thomas Rose, AKA Toby Tate, has released his second CD. Rose used to play and sing in several bands in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area including Spinning Jenny and Grass Roots Rodeo. Now residing in Elizabeth City, NC, Rose says, "Kitty is my second CD, the first being King for a Day, which I released in 2003 and which did very well on internet radio stations and mp3.com. On my latest CD I wanted to just put together 10 of my best songs, ones I had been playing for a while and had received good crowd responses."
Rose is practically a one-man band, playing all instruments on the album. Rose also provided all the vocals, production and artwork for the album, which has been described as pop-rock with a country/bluegrass flavor. The influences of Rose’s favorite bands such as Led Zeppelin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, R.E.M. and The Beatles can be heard on the record. Says Rose, "I made the CD I wanted to make, not just the one I thought people would want to hear." - The Virginian-Pilot/Port Folio Weekly - Sept. 5, 2006
A solid groove keeps this track in motion constantly. I like the instrumental additions that come in throughout the song’s build. It creates a sonic rise in the arrangement that brings lots of bounce and creates good challenges for listeners. The arrangement additions allow for very little predictability within a simple melody line. All the elements are firmly in place. Musical and lyrical hooks come through clearly and distinctly. The sectional separation is given lots of support via the diverse instrumentation. A very nice pop song that has its feet in Americana, Rock with classic sensibilities and Indie Rock. Nice work, Toby! (Toby is the alter ego of Thomas Rose). - Taxi Independent A&R Service - Aug. 2006
Discography
Both of Tom's CDs, 'Kitty' and 'King for a Day,' are available at CDBaby.com. Several songs can be purchased as downloadable mp3s on iTunes, MusicNet, Flip, iSound, Soundclick, and dozens of other digital distributors. He is also receiving airplay on various internet radio stations, including Moozikoo and New Artist Radio.
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Bio
Thomas Rose, aka Toby Tate, has performed throughout Northeastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia in various bands and as a solo artist for the past several years. It wasn’t until he began playing as a soloist, in fact, that he started gaining recognition.
Thomas’ country-flavored rock song, ‘See You Tonight,’ off his last CD, ‘King for a Day,’ received airplay on the internet radio station New Artist Radio and reached number three on the charts, which is no mean feat.
That same song, plus a couple of others off ‘King for a Day,’ also ranked in the top ten among listeners on mp3.com and Sounclick.com.
Thomas’ music has been described by record producer Frank Tedesco as ‘something like the Beatles meets Jim Croce,’ which is not far from the truth. His songs incorporate sounds from different genres including bluegrass, country, rock and pop and puts it all together in a spicy, bold mix of music unlike anything else out there.
Thomas not only sings and plays guitar, drums, mandolin, bass, piano and harmonica but he also writes all of his own music and is a seasoned recording engineer. Top that off with his graphic design background and you have a modern, self-contained performer who is able to write, perform, engineer, produce and design his own projects from beginning to end.
With the advent of the internet and retail outlets like CDBaby.com, Thomas, along with thousands of other musicians, has had the opportunity to make available his music to fans worldwide in places like Japan and Germany where people are starved for original, American rock music.
Thomas’ latest project, ‘Kitty,’ is a ten song wonder that tested his abilities as a producer/performer and forced him to reach beyond even what he believed himself capable of, stretching his songwriting, performing and engineering skills to the max and resulting in a sound that is eclectic yet focused. You will hear the influences of his favorite bands such as Led Zeppelin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, R.E.M., and the Beatles.
This project is the result of years of performing live and is the one of which he is most proud. About this CD, Thomas said, “I made the CD I wanted to make, not just the one I thought people would want to hear.”
As it is, people will definitely want to hear it.
‘Kitty’ is full of guitars, mandolins, pianos and vocal harmonies featuring funky rhythms and melodious hooks with lyrics about love, loss and longing. It’s reminiscent of acoustic Zeppelin, R.E.M., Pure Prairie League, and Creedence.
Thomas thinks you will agree – ‘Kitty’ is happy and sometimes melancholy, but always satisfying.
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