Did Tommy Prine just do what I think he did?
Yep, he just released a country tinged pop-punk song that is just as Blink 182 as it is Steve Earle. And it rips, both lyrically and sonically.
The third single off of his forthcoming debut record This Far South, “Mirror and a Kitchen Sink” is a catchy, hard driving track that proves Prine is much more than a simple singer/songwriter. It’s not like anyone was questioning his abilities, though.
The songwriting savant’s out of the box tune might just be his best yet, with a sound few expected and the lyrical wizardry we have all come to love.
Give it a listen for yourself.
“Juliet and Romeo didn’t meet at the rodeo
I think there is something special about what you don’t know…”
I mean, with this sound and an opening line like that, you know right away this is going to be a good one.
Prine provided some valuable insight into the tune and its significance in relation to his late father, the great John Prine.
“I tend to create fake scenarios and people to argue with, so this song is an example of some of the scenarios or witty remarks that I would make in an argument…that will likely never happen. It was the first song I wrote after my dad had passed, and part of me thinks he had a hand in it somehow.”
In fact, the wittiness and clever conversation-centric wordplay in “Mirror and a Kitchen Sink” is reminiscent of some of John Prine’s iconic music, but Tommy Prine is completely his own artist, and it shows in this one, as it does the rest of his music.
Prine made a bang with his debut single “Ships in the Harbor” back in September, one of my favorite songs I’ve heard in a while, and followed that up with another heater in “Turning Stones,” successfully greasing the wheels for takeoff prior to his upcoming album This Far South’s first single and title track, “This Far South.”
With the subsequent release of “Reach the Sun” and now “Mirror and a Kitchen Sink,” Prine has proved this debut project is going to be something special, and the anticipation will only continue compound as the June 23rd release date of the Ruston Kelly and Gena Johnson produced record approaches.
See below for the This Far South Tracklist, and give the singles he’s dropped thus far a listen.
“Elohim”
“Crashing Again”
“This Far South”
“Reach the Sun”
“By the Way”
“Mirror and a Kitchen Sink”
“Boyhood”
“Some Things”
“Letter To My Brother”
“Cash Carter Hill”
“I Love You, Always”
There are very few albums that I can’t think of that have had me as excited as I am for This Far South. And if you like what you’ve heard here, check out Tommy Prine’s recently announced This Far South Tour to see if he’s playing a city near you.
The chances he does are pretty high, with nearly 40 stops in the US and 8 abroad, Prine is covering some serious ground. And if you’ve got a lick of sense, you’ll make an effort to catch one of his shows.
You won’t regret it, because Tommy Prine is the real deal.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t include “Ships in Harbor” here, too. While it won’t be included on This Far South it is still a must listen for anyone and everyone.
