Dear Tommy Explained

Dear Tommy
Type:studio
Artist:Chromatics
Cover:Dear Tommy (Chromatics).png
Genre:Synth-pop, dream pop, Italo disco, synthwave
Label:Italians Do It Better
Producer:Johnny Jewel

Dear Tommy is the unreleased sixth studio album by Chromatics, originally scheduled for release on Valentine's Day 2015, then 2018.[1] [2] [3] The album had not been released by the time the group disbanded in 2021, although 11 songs that were at one point intended for Dear Tommy were released between 2014 and 2020.

Background

Dear Tommy was said to be completed[4] and Chromatics announced the LP in December 2014.[3] The single "Shadow" was released in 2015, including physical copies on vinyl, ahead of the album.[5] By 2015 Chromatics had also shared the tracks "In Films",[6] "Just Like You"[7] and "I Can Never Be Myself When You're Around" on the Internet.[8] [9] However, it was reported in 2017 that Johnny Jewel had destroyed all physical copies of the album in January 2016[10] —15,000 CDs and 10,000 vinyl copies—following a near-death experience while swimming in 2015[2] [3] [4] [11] [12] and his subsequent desire to improve the songs before release.[2] Those songs already made available from the first version of the record were eventually removed from Internet sources.[3] [11] It is believed that the album was then re-recorded,[3] [11] including previously released songs. A representative for Chromatics has said that the Camera EP (2018) relates to the album Dear Tommy.[13]

The group's intervening fifth album, Closer to Grey, was released on October 2, 2019, having only been announced the day before.[14] [15] The album's artwork features the Roman numeral VII. Despite having not been released, the band also labeled Dear Tommy with the numeral 'VI' on their social media.[16] Another song from the unreleased album, "Teacher", was made available in April 2020 along with an updated track listing for the album.[17] On August 10, 2021, the band announced their break-up.[18]

In December 2021, following the band's split, Pitchfork reported that Jewel's story of the destruction of the entire print run of Dear Tommy in 2016 was disputed by multiple parties close to the band, including by the CD and vinyl pressing plants that would have been contracted by Italians Do It Better to print those copies at the time.[19]

The album has been described as having a "mythic" and cult status among fans of the band.[20] [21] [22] [23] In 2019, Phoenix New Times wrote that it was "as if its anticipation has made it just as real and tangible as its predecessors."[24] In a 2021 article about delayed albums, 34th Street Magazine wrote that the band's "constant balancing act of disappointment and reassurance keeps fans hooked into the masochism of Dear Tommys delayed release cycle. But they also must come to terms with the fact that the album may never even come out at all."[25] Rolling Stone concluded "it's possible that the band may one day release a completed Dear Tommy. Or maybe it will go down in history as the Smile of the 2010s."[26]

Track listing

The following songs from this final tracklist were released by Chromatics as singles:

Other songs once intended for Dear Tommy

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2021-08-27. Chromatics Announce New Album Dear Tommy. 4 December 2014. Pitchfork.
  2. 2018-09-30. Johnny Jewel of Chromatics Talks Surprise Solo Album and 'Dear Tommy' Delays: 'In My Dream Reality, I'd Release an Album a Day'. Billboard.
  3. Web site: 16 May 2018. 2018-09-30. Chromatics Say Dear Tommy Is Out This Year, Share New Song: Listen. Pitchfork.
  4. News: 2018-09-30. Is 'Dear Tommy' Finally Coming Out? Chromatics' 'Black Walls' Video Offers Hope. NPR.
  5. News: 2018-09-30. Chromatics Release Another New 'Dear Tommy' Single, "Blue Girl". Noisey. 12 June 2018.
  6. News: 2018-09-30. Chromatics share new single 'In Films' from Dear Tommy. FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music.. 8 April 2015.
  7. News: 2018-09-30. Johnny Jewel unveils 'Just Like You', the first single from Chromatics' Dear Tommy - FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music.. Fact. 12 February 2015.
  8. Web site: 2018-10-16. Watch Chromatics' New "I Can Never Be Myself When You're Around" Video. Pitchfork. September 13, 2016.
  9. News: 2018-10-16. Chromatics Release "I Can Never Be Myself When You're Around" Video as Dear Tommy Wait Continues. Spin. 13 September 2016.
  10. News: 2018-09-30. Chromatics' Dear Tommy Hasn't Come Out Yet Because Johnny Jewel Destroyed Every Copy. Spin. 3 May 2017.
  11. News: 2018-09-30. Chromatics unveil atmospheric track 'Black Walls', finally confirm release of new album 'Dear Tommy'. NME. 16 May 2018.
  12. News: 2018-09-30. Chromatics' Dear Tommy Still Isn't Out Because Johnny Jewel Destroyed Every Copy. Stereogum. 3 May 2017.
  13. Web site: 2019-11-01. Chromatics Release New Vinyl-Only Camera EP. Pitchfork. June 5, 2018.
  14. Web site: Tom. Skinner. 2019-10-01. Chromatics to release surprise new album 'Closer To Grey' tomorrow. October 1, 2019. NME.
  15. Web site: A New Chromatics Album Is Out At Midnight — But Not Dear Tommy. Stereogum. Breihan. Tom. October 1, 2019. October 2, 2019.
  16. Web site: Hughes . Josiah . Thiessen . Brock . October 1, 2019 . Chromatics Release New Album 'Closer to Grey' . August 24, 2021 . Exclaim!.
  17. Web site: Minsker . Evan . April 17, 2020 . Chromatics Reveal New Dear Tommy Tracklist, Share New Song "Teacher": Listen . August 11, 2021 . Pitchfork.
  18. Web site: Chromatics Coming to an End, Band Members Say. Pitchfork. August 10, 2021 . 2021-08-24.
  19. Web site: Hogan . Marc . Did Chromatics' Album Dear Tommy Ever Exist in the First Place? . Pitchfork . 15 December 2021 . 15 December 2021.
  20. Web site: Jones . Austin . April 17, 2020 . Chromatics Unveil Long-Awaited Dear Tommy Tracklist, Share New Track "Teacher" . August 24, 2021 . Paste.
  21. Web site: Fallon . Patric . October 12, 2019 . Chromatics: Closer to Grey Album Review . August 24, 2021 . Pitchfork.
  22. Web site: October 4, 2019 . 5 new releases we love: Wilco gets positive, Chromatics return, and more . August 24, 2021 . The A.V. Club.
  23. Web site: Cook . Cameron . Whiteley . Caroline . Bernard . Jesse . Lhooq . Michelle . May 22, 2018 . Singles Club: The elusive Andre 3000 comes out of hiding just to stun us again . August 24, 2021 . Fact.
  24. Web site: Feenstra . Gerrit . April 30, 2019 . Chromatics' and Desire's First Tour in Nearly a Decade Comes to Phoenix . August 24, 2021 . Phoenix New Times.
  25. Web site: Green . Walden . March 2, 2021 . When Do We Give Up On Delayed Albums? . August 24, 2021 . 34th Street Magazine.
  26. Shaffer . Claire . October 2, 2019 . Hear Chromatics' Surprise Album 'Closer to Grey' . August 24, 2021 . Rolling Stone.
  27. Web site: Rettig . James . Chromatics – "Just Like You" . Stereogum . 16 February 2022 . en . 12 February 2015.
  28. Web site: Strauss . Matthew . Watch Chromatics' New "Dear Tommy" Video . Pitchfork . 16 February 2022 . 25 August 2016.
  29. Web site: Gottsegen . William . Listen to Chromatics' New Single "Time Rider" . SPIN . 16 February 2022 . 19 February 2019.
  30. Web site: Rettig . James . Chromatics - "Teacher" . Stereogum . 16 February 2022 . en . 17 April 2020.
  31. Web site: Beauchemin . Molly . Chromatics Share New Dear Tommy Song "Shadow" . Pitchfork . 16 December 2021 . 8 September 2015.
  32. Web site: Yoo . Noah . Chromatics Perform "Shadow" On "Twin Peaks," Share New Music Video: Watch . Pitchfork . 16 December 2021 . 22 May 2017.
  33. Web site: Chromatics Release New Single "Black Walls" From New Album Dear Tommy . SPIN . 16 February 2022 . 16 May 2018.
  34. Web site: Blais-Billie . Braudie . Listen to Chromatics' New Song "Blue Girl" . Pitchfork . 16 February 2022 . 12 June 2018.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Dear Tommy".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.