Thomas Hodges
I Put It Down
The Green Room 42, NYC, August 1, 2024
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Photo: Grace Stockdale
Thomas Hodges is a contemporary songwriter who possesses a strong singing voice and major piano skills. He also has abundant charm and a nice sense of fun. In his new show I Put It Down at The Green Room 42 he celebrated one year of sobriety, an achievement he seems justly proud of, and he shared with appealing self-deprecating humor and great honesty the reasons why he made the decision and the effect it had on all aspects of his life. Of course, he also offered a group of numbers that reflected these experiences.
He was backed by a fine trio of musicians: Sunny (Jin Wen) Sheu on violin, Rachel Gawell Burns on cello, and Noah Hadland on drums. The proved to be incredibly flexible performers who were capable of playing Hodges’ complex compositions with clarity and feeling. Hodges’ works often move through several sections, often shifting in style and approaches; he carefully fits everything together to create mini-dramas.
He opened with “Coffee and Cigarettes,” a paean to two substances that “saved my life,” in a number that showed a strong country-rock influence and featured his emphatic piano playing. This was followed by a song written after a rough night of drinking, “Golden Hour,” a highly emotional and mesmerizing exploration of redemption. His poetic lyrics contained the intriguing idea that “autumn is the season of the artist.” “Through the Winter” was a surprising mix of images that contrasted the chilly landscape with a hope for a positive future. All of has have been given a chance, because “life is yours to frame.”
His honesty was easily reflected in “200 Days,” about the highs and lows of sobriety. However, he commented with a twinkle in his eyes, “I wanted to write a song with numbers in it”. This song, accompanied only by solo piano only, moved easily into “Open Road,” on which the band went wild as the mood moved forward and we were assured that “the rain leaves potholes like stars.” Featured vocalist and longtime friend Gracie Lee Brown joined Hodges for a delightful celebration of the hobby they still share that helps them to remain children: “Dungeons & Dragons.” Brown brought her fine voice to the program along with her expressive eyes, which fully visible from halfway back in the room.
The only flaw in the evening was the one that occurs in all shows that feature a vocalist/pianist: the stage becomes stagnant as the star remains trapped behind his instrument. Hopefully, when he returns he will include a surrogate at the ivories for at least some of the program; that would free him to take center stage and add some electric movement his performance. He will definitely be welcome to return. He assured the audience with the title song, “I will not fear; I was built to be here!” Indeed he was.
