Tom Verlaine

Throughout television's two albums, there was high drama and a mesmerizing lyricism, most
of it contributed by lead guitarist-song-writer-singer Tom Verlame. What Television rarely
displayed was any sense of playfulness. Indeed, playfulness seemed beside or beyond the
band's point, which was to make intricate commonplaces take on the intensity of heroic
gestures. Thus the most surprising aspect of the solo debut LPs by Verlaine and g... More >

In which he deploys backup choruses and alien instruments, the kind of stuff that bogs down all solo debuts, with modest grace and wit. And continues to play guitar like Captain Marvel. Neater than Television, as you might expect, but almost as visionary anyway, and a lot more confident and droll. Inspirational Verse: "My head was spinning/My oh my." (Grade: A-)