Review- An Americana Odyssey: Tommy Prine’s 'This Far South' Takes Him From the Shadows to the Stage
Photo by Emma Delavante
Tommy Prine’s highly anticipated debut album This Far South has been on its own in the wild a mere week, but is steadily making a name for itself as one of the most refreshingly individualistic releases the Americana genre has produced in some time. This Far South melds Tommy’s creative lyrical heritage with a rockin’ sensibility born of ‘90’s grunge and thoughtful notes of graven imagery, resulting in an intriguing and somewhat unexpected track by track journey into Tommy’s personal evolution from the free living son of the Great John Prine, to a stand alone musician in his own right - out of the shadows and onto the stage with gusto.
Co-produced by Tommy’s close friend and creative comrade Ruston Kelly, along with Nashville’s beloved Gena Johnson, the album feels both entirely new and nostalgic at the same time. Cathartic connection drips from the early release single of “Ships in the Harbor,” a rhythmic and somewhat unchained melody that explores the mundane through poetic observation and the lens of loss, while the title track, “This Far South,” reflects on a murky period of Tommy’s life, whereby his own admonition he lacked purpose and direction, but ultimately found the courage to choose higher paths that might bring him closer to the light, hope, and brighter days. “Letter to My Brother” is a grief ridden expose into addiction and the loss of friends to that seemingly unending war, inspired by the tragic loss of one of Tommy’s close friends to an overdose in 2017. While each track could be discussed individually with no want for critical commentary, it will suffice to say that from top to bottom, Tommy has over delivered on what even the son of John Prine might have been expected to produce, but in a way that is thoroughly and completely his own, making the listening experience thrillingly unique and endearingly unexpected.
Tommy finished his first solo tour across the United States in 2022, appearing with man-of-the-people Tyler Childers during his Release the Hounds Tour, and continues to tour his way through 2023 with support from Kentucky-born folk singer Jordan Smart, a talent also on the rise.
For tour dates and to keep track of Tommy’s future offerings, visit the links below: