TNT Music – Pieces
TNT Music – Pieces
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/TolbertToz
TNT Music – Pieces
Few duos debuting in recent years have even half the musical spark generated by TnT Music on their latest single “Pieces”. Tim Toz has an impressive command over an array of instruments while his partner Joy Tolbert proves herself to be an interesting lyricist with an ear for melody and a firebreathing voice nonetheless capable of aching sensitivity. Their collaboration, at first, was exclusively carried on via the Internet, but when the proverbial rubber met the road and the duo traveled to work in personal contact with one another, the musical collaboration reached another level. There’s real passion and sincerity in this from the first seconds on. Despite the decidedly DIY nature of the recording, it is equally apparent that the duo has access to quality equipment and a real ear for mixing the sound into a professional grade recording.
There are a few touches from many areas in the song. The first few seconds verge on progressive AOR territory with a bright wall of keyboards. Toz’s sleek lead guitar and accompanying drumming comes in shortly thereafter to finish the introduction. Acoustic guitar rises from the rubble after the introduction climaxes and Tolbert’s voice comes out in short order. Her phrasing is very careful at first, underplaying the lyrical details, but she ratchets up the intensity as they approach the chorus. By this point, Tolbert’s voice is bubbling at full boil, full of the grit and fire listeners surely expect from songs of this sort. The choruses and bridge alike are strongly catchy and help give the song an added bit of oomph. Toz’s electric and acoustic guitar sound are studies in contrast/ His approach to the former gives the electric a sharply defined point of attack and its recorded in a highly physical fashion. The acoustic guitar, in contrast, has a warm and inevitable quality, gently unstoppable. This comparison illustrates a songwriting style that applies to the whole track. It’s a study in juxtapositions and littered with memorable melodies supporting the arrangement.
The lyrical content has a satisfying directness and a good mix of specific and vague. Tolbert has a sure sense of storytelling excellence and the grounding in details she provides is a big reason why, but make no mistake – like many great lyricists, it’s often what Tolbert is saying in her lyric that matters most. The choruses are remarkably direct as well. She has a talent for no wasting any words. As before, her phrasing makes the most of the lyrical content and her ability to embody the dramatic potential in the content further elevates its appeal. “Pieces” is a reminder of the impact sincere music can make on listeners when the musicians keep things unfettered, simplified, and built cinematically. TnT Music have adapted spectacularly well to the possibilities of long distance collaboration in the Internet age and their chemistry overtakes any actual distance separating them. Tim Toz and Joy Tolbert are incredibly talented musicians and songwriters whose collaboration will likely continue to bear more fruit.
Shannon Cowden
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Pieces-TNT/dp/B01KVMTEC6