Regular Columnists

Artist: Tom Kimmel
Album: Never Saw Blue
Label: Point Clear Records
Website: http://tomkimmel.com
Genre: A mix of country, pop, & adult contemporary
Technical Grade: 10/10
Production/Musicianship Grade: 10/10
Commercial Value: 10/10
Overall Talent Level: 10/10
Songwriting Skills: 10/10
Performance Skill: 10/10
Best Songs: One World, Shallow Water, Never Saw Blue, See Myself In You
CD Review:

Alabama born Tom Kimmel has written songs for artists as diverse as Shawn Colvin and The Spinners. His work has won accolades from his peers and awards from the Kerrville Folk Festival. He is the epitome of a songwriter's songwriter, largely unknown to the general public but his work is everywhere.

His latest release, Never Saw Blue, is a collection of songs that have appeared in movies and television. Generally acoustic centered, each song is carefully crafted and many feature Kimmel's excellent guitar work. The opening cut, One World, was featured in the made for TV movie Princess In Love. Its funky guitar intro sets up Kimmel's country twinged vocal. The lyric is a well written comment on the connection between all humans. Shallow Water is a gospel flavored hymn of faith that was used in the television show, Touched By An Angel. A gospel choir supports Kimmel's passionate vocal and acoustic fingerpicking.

Easily my favorite tune on the CD was Never Saw Blue Like That, the title song. This tune was featured in the movie, Runaway Bride, as well as the television shows, Party of Five and Dawson's Creek. In this beautiful ballad, Kimmel manages to avoid the obvious clichés and craft a memorable song. Can't Slow Down is a headfirst mad dash of rock guitar and rapidfire lyrics. It's easy to see why it was used in Ski School 2.

The songs on this CD span Kimmel's career and include songs from The Captain Kangaroo Show, the movies Twins and Cruel Intentions, as well as many other television shows. As such they present a wide ranging representation of Kimmel's talent. He is truly a songwriter's songwriter. Never Saw Blue is an excellent album. For aspiring songwriters, it's a chance to see a master at work.