Hailing from Australia and with over 7 million streams to his name comes Tom West and his latest single "Gimme What You Got", Opening to an acoustic guitar and a slightly undefinable electronica sound, it provides the perfect backing for Tom's laid back vocals, which defined in his press release as "androgynous", have more of a knowing world weariness at first to these ears. With a sound rooted in Americana, it all goes together to make an interesting mix that increases in intensity and feeling as the song develops.
""Strange visions by the side of the road, everybody knows
Strange decisions by the folks in the know - they're in control"
Inspired by long walks on the edge of town, it is the inequalities between the rich empty houses on the outskirts of town compared to the busier less ostentatious world Tom normally inhabits that fuels the song The chorus ups the ante with a more angry electric guitar and the vocals rising in intensity, taking on that frustration as he demands
"Gimme what you got - its not a lot you gotta gimme what I need cos I want to survive"
The contrast between the worlds in Tom's view is quite pronounced with the suburban mansions viewed as "mausoleums" which he sees as another world in an unreachable dream. With remarkably few actual lyrics and a repeating chorus that builds each time in volume and frustration, Tom is able to create to a compelling song. This could almost be the accompaniment to a tv series, for as the sound fades away there is a definite impression that Tom has more to say on this matter.
Talking about the single, West explains, “Gimme What You Got came about during a time when I’d often take long walks up though the expensive suburbs on the edge of the hills that overlook the city. It struck me as weird, while walking past day after day, how empty and lifeless the massive, expensive mansions seemed in contrast to the busting and creative pubs, dive bars and humble share houses where I usually lived. So I guess this song is about being in one world and peering across a membrane into another that is close enough to reach out to, but so arcane.”