Foundations: total tommy
Jess Holt, the Sydney-based artist better known as total tommy, has long been drawn to guitar pop at its most revelatory. From her teen years onward, she’s sought both solace and enlightenment in music, with her own work acting as a kind of mirror to her emotional life.
Out now, new album ‘bruises’ is a magnificent selection of torn ‘n’ tattered guitar pop anthems. Working alongside producer and long-time collaborator Mark Zito of Fractures, the two have crafted something special, reminiscent of everyone from those early Garbage singles through to fellow Australian maverick Courtney Barnett and beyond.
The latest artist to join our Foundations club, total tommy dug into her musical bedrock for these selections of the albums that truly matter in her musical development.
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Interpol – ‘Turn On The Bright Lights’
I was late to this record! My wife introduced me to it last year when I was overseas by myself writing. She’d send me a new record each day to inspire me, and this one absolutely HIT and I haven’t stopped listening since.
‘Obstacle 1’ forever changed me. There’s a lyric in there which says ‘she can read’, but I always thought it was ‘she can rage’. That entire line opened up a lot in tommy world and I want to call a tour just that one day.
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Garbage – ‘Absolute Garbage’
I loved this record at the time, but I’ve come back to it in recent years and damn it’s too good. It was hugely inspirational to me when I was writing ‘bruises’.
This record makes me feel everything, each song has hook after hook, and the production is gritty and just so tasty. Shirley Manson forever.
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Momma – ‘Household Name’
Where to start with this one. It’s one of my favourite records of the last five years. It’s all killer from start to finish and definitely set the bench mark for me on quality for my own record.
It’s my go-to record when I’m driving around running errands. I also put a lot of the songs from ‘Household Name’ on my pre-show playlist to blast before a gig.
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Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Fever To Tell’
Another record that I really got to know when I was away by myself writing for bruises. I’d put it on each morning while I commuted to the studio and it really got me in the zone. Karen O optimises everything I want to be in a performer. She’s so captivating and holds space so well on stage, I’m mesmerised every time I see the band perform. Faves on this record for me are ‘Black Tongue’, ‘Tick’, and ‘Maps’.
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Wet Leg – ‘Wet Leg’
I played this on repeat for months when it first came out, so it definitely had a hold on my writing when I was making bruises. I remember how much this changed the game when it was released, the songs are so addictive and stick with you for ages.
It’s pretty rare for a band to be able to convey this much personality in a record, but Wet Leg do it so seamlessly. I was also lucky enough to work with their producer Dan Carey on my song ‘microdose’. I’d love to do a full album with him one day also.
‘bruises’ is out now.
Photo Credit: Andrea Veltom
