As he gears up for the release of his new album, folk-rock artist Covey, which is the project of British instrumentalist and songwriter Tom Freeman, proves yet again that he is a master of storytelling. His newest release, “Cut On The Crease” is a gritty confirmation of these narrative capabilities.
This track is is the powerful first release off of the band’s upcoming album Class of Cardinal Sin and is another great triumph in Covey’s history of emotive storytelling and simultaneously evidence of a new, more punk-inspired chapter.
“Cut On The Crease” weaves an utterly transparent tale of simultaneously being suffocated and enlightened by past trauma, and struggle to break free of its clutches while learning from past mistakes.
The track opens with the almost embryonic hum of a whirring synth—an aural representation of the mental awakening that seems to occur as Freeman gears up for the therapy session-eqsue mental progression that occurs throughout the track. His first leap into this state of vulnerability is an admission of a troubling mental dilemma.
I never know if I’m in control
Or if my actions are dictated
By my choices to this day
It’s overwhelming in a subtle kind of way
As the track progresses, Freeman grows more transparent. The emotional flood gates have been opened and we listeners are increasingly swept up in the current.
Oh, I know you’re trying to mend this
But don’t pretend like you know me well
I hate to say it but the damage is done
I learnt to live without dependency
Yet out all of this musing on past misery comes a realization that while the past cannot be mended and though the damage feels irreparable, there is a present life worth fixing and self that deserves to use these lessons from the past to improve.
So I should just take some time
And try to fix what is left
Before I’m old and alone
Filled with regret
Freeman’s voice strains as he works up to this personal call to action and an enormous chorus of brass follows suit—perhaps a celebration of reaching this mental turning point or perhaps just a manifestation of an unrestrained force of emotion catapulting itself into the ether.
By infusing upbeat folk-rock melodies into this track, Covey creates a curious disjunction between the triumphant instrumentation and the general intent of his words. It’s a classic trope that is undoubtedly Covey and sure to produce a wonderfully confusing pit of emotion.
However, this track features a much more expansive sound than his previous releases perhaps as if to say Covey’s voice has grown more eager, his message more earnest and transparent. The major-keyed chorus of guitars that ring out throughout capture the multifaceted emotions Freeman brings to the fore through his voice. The massive sound mirrors his frustration and the weight of his emotional baggage on one hand, yet also functions as a warm welcome to a renewed being.
Therefore, this track not only seems to indicate that “Cut On The Crease” is the introduction to Covey’s most sonically ambitious body of work yet, but also a signal that this album will be Covey’s most transparent. Ultimately, this track is a moment for us to share Freeman’s grief, sorrow, trials, and tribulations—on which we can dance endlessly to his infectious folk-rock concoction of sound.
