Today is a good day. No, it’s a great fucking day.
Today I finally heard the latest crushing single ‘Hole in My Heart’ by the legendary Canadian Rock trio The Tea Party, and before I forget to mention in my excitement, they brought Todd Kerns along for the ride! (And you better bloody well know who the hell he is, Todd is nothing short of an industry titan).
If you know The Tea Party then you know they just hit differently from other rock bands. As a life-long fan (could you be anything else?) you just know that when they release a new song that it is going to capture that dramatic, orchestrated, spiritual, and moody blues/rock vibe; and Hole in My Heart pours that beautiful full familiar sound into your soul much like a top-shelf whiskey.
I guess this is the part where I should try to describe this song in better detail than ‘it just kicks ass’ right?
Let’s start with that opening slide guitar riff then. Fading into existence is that commanding and haunting blues style that Jeff Martin does so well. It’s a quick introduction and in moments both drummer Jeff Burrows and bassist Stuart Chatwood rush in to fill the opening with a fury that we all have come to love so much from this band. It’s just tight playing all around, and before you crucify me for not mentioning that the members play more than drums, bass, etc, if you know this band then you know that they do a helluva lot more than play one instrument each. Each member is a composer through and through and it shows in the way this song travels through its many exciting peaks and valleys. After more than thirty years of playing together, these three have an undeniable bond that shows in every second of their sound.
The vocal line is classic edgy and dangerous Jeff Martin. (Who is still my vote for one of my top 10 best vocalists around, period. )When Jeff sings it’s like coming home every single time, at this point, it’s like an old friend that helps get you through this life thing, and goddamn am I grateful for it.
I know that we live in a world where the most talented of anything usually requires that person to play the hardest or the fastest, or just someone who is so overproduced past the point of being believable that their digital souls are worshipped for a week (that seems to be the current shelf life), but I will argue the point all day long that Jeff Burrows is one of the best drummers around, and on Hole in My Heart he does what JB does best, he crushes those drums with authority and a spiritual understanding that can only come from an artist truly aware of what the song needs, no less and no more, (and he does this every single time he plays, without fail).
I don’t ever want to talk about Stuart Chatwood as just a bassist, this man is a ridiculously talented composer (Darkest Dungeon, Prince of Persia anyone?) and within this impressive new single he is so clearly working overtime to fill this song up with the bass and all the extras. Stuart Chatwood is always mindful of the minor details that make up the larger, more impressive, picture, and I would ask you to take a moment to listen deeper here to see the depth that Hole in My Heart has. My suggestion, grab your best headphones and close those eyes for this one.
It’s was a brilliant decision to bring Todd Kerns into the mix. He brings another level of intensity to this already emotionally heavy track, and in the final chorus of Hole in My Heart it’s just…..it’s just beautiful man.
I love this band. I love this song, and I think you should go take a listen now.
(and turn it up LOUD!)
LISTEN TO HOLE IN MY HEART ON SPOTIFY
FIND THE TEA PARTY AT WWW.THETEAPARTY.COM