THE ALBUM With limited money and fierce determination, a homegrown recording project—featuring musicians and singers from the Cape Fear Region of North Carolina, recorded over several months in a rented historic house (circa 1850)—releases this September. Thom’s music pointed him to the community (from the arts scene to the service industry and higher education), with one underlining goal—to make a rock record. Spanning 45 minutes and a continuous play format, the listener will find an ominous landscape in these eight genre-bending songs. The end result—a powerfully thematic and cohesively sonic debut from a promising up and coming songwriter. THE SONGS AND CONTRIBUTORS Thom cast five diverse female lead vocalists (dubbed The Paper Choir): Front Street Brewery Cellarman Joan Childress Wilkerson, local artist and jewelry maker Addie Wuensch, a recent addition to Wilmington’s music scene Sam Carradori, local commercial analyst Jennifer Reid, and regional performer / metal welding artist Whitney Pearsall. Songs range from the gritty opener (“Cuts Like a Song”) to sweeping ballads (“Far Away”) and (“Messenger”). The synth-driven grooves of (“Criminal”) and (“Wires”) coupled with the energetic-fueled radio-friendly (“Tested”) confirm Paper Brain will appeal to a variety of diverse listeners. Two standout tracks feature the full Paper Choir. (“Box of Bells” and “Hell Is a Place”) vacillate from dark sonic trenches to bright optimistic peaks. Thom also reached out to a few local musicians and friends (Mike Ruwe and Mike Phillips) to complete his vision. A notable contributor is Clyde Edgerton, American Author and Creative Writing Professor at UNCW, who offers a heartfelt banjo track on (“Far Away”). Wilmington graphic designer O.E. Cunningham designed art specific to both the vinyl and CD release.