What does it sound like to capture the peaceful places along the edge of the mighty Mississippi or the Merrimack River as it meets the sea? For Tom Eaton, a composer, multi-instrumentalist and recording artist, those blissful vistas are best expressed in a rich and heartfelt blend of piano, ambient guitar, and synth textures on “How it Happened”, his latest collection of ambient electronic stories about taking the unseen paths and finding serene moments; the album is now out on Spotted Peccary Music, the Portland, OR-based independent record label.
Press release by Ann Beth Hilton
Upon listening, John Shanahan, host of Hypnagogue Podcast said “On How it Happened, Eaton finds new expressions that dig into his listeners’ souls to allow them to share his thoughts and feelings, gently carving a common emotional ground. Eaton takes his own personal late-night ruminations and the natural beauty of his New England surroundings as stepping-off points for his blends of rich ambient backdrops and gliding melodies, each a piece of poetry all its own,” while veteran music writer Robin James, of Brainvoyager.com, noted “The music floats up into the air and shimmers, hanging there like an Aurora Borealis, just above your speakers.”
“How it Happened” is a sensitive and introspective album of reflective ambient impressions which Eaton evokes with tenderness and grace. Inspiration is drawn from moments sitting or walking by the north branch of the Contoocock River in New Hampshire, the Mississippi River in New Orleans, and the beaches where the Merrimack River meets the ocean in his home state of Massachusetts.
Eaton offered a rare insight, sharing “My prior albums have had some rhythmic elements and this album has no time keeping percussion at all. Probably makes the album a little more introspective and slightly less ‘pop’ influenced. I have always written driving stuff and floating stuff. This collection is more on the floating side. As my life progresses the music reflects where I am, so it’s always going to be different but I am not steering it. My music is an outlet for my emotions, always born out of improv rather than thought about. That great Vangelis quote always seems to make sense to me… ‘I act as a channel through which music emerges from the chaos of noise.’ It feels like that most of the time.”
Having spent the past 25 years as a full-time producer and engineer with credits on hundreds of recordings, Eaton is certainly no stranger to crafting delicate musical spaces. His pensive soundscapes stir the emotions and touch the soul as the lush textures and quiet melodies of “How it Happened” deliver a multi-dimensional immersion into the artist’s vulnerable space, where he investigates the amorphous connections shared by us all.
“How it Happened” is available in both physical and digital formats; multiple formats for purchasing and listening can be found in the Spotted Peccary Music shop and on Bandcamp.
For more about Tom Eaton’s music and inspiration, visit his website at: https://www.introspectiveobscurities.com/