Dear Tommy

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Dear Tommy
Dear Tommy (Chromatics).png
Studio album by
Chromatics
LabelItalians Do It Better

Dear Tommy is an unreleased studio album by Chromatics, originally scheduled for release in 2014, then 2018.[1][2][3]

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, and will eventually be released with a changed tracklist from that originally announced.[13]

A representative for Chromatics has said that the Camera EP (2018) relates to the album Dear Tommy.[14]

The group's intervening fifth album, Closer to Grey, was released on October 2, 2019, having only been announced the day before.[15][16] 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.[17] Another song from the unreleased album, "Teacher", was made available in April 2020 along with an updated track listing for the album.[18] On August 10, 2021, the band announced their break-up. A representative for Johnny Jewel told Pitchfork that Jewel would "continue making music and supporting great art and artists through his label Italians Do It Better."[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 Tommy's 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[]

Dear Tommy track listing[18]
No.TitleLength
1."Fresh Blood" 
2."Glitter" 
3."Never Tell" 
4."Just Like You" 
5."She Says" 
6."The Moment" 
7."Time Rider" 
8."White Fences" 
9."Teacher" 
10."Between the Lines" 
11."Too Late" 
12."Dear Tommy" 
13."Melodrama" 
14."Ultra Vivid" 
15."Colorblind" 
16."Sometimes" 
17."Dream Sequence" 
18."Endless Sleep" 

References[]

  1. ^ "Chromatics Announce New Album Dear Tommy". Pitchfork. December 4, 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Johnny Jewel of Chromatics Talks Surprise Solo Album and 'Dear Tommy' Delays: 'In My Dream Reality, I'd Release an Album a Day'". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Chromatics Say Dear Tommy Is Out This Year, Share New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. May 16, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "Is 'Dear Tommy' Finally Coming Out? Chromatics' 'Black Walls' Video Offers Hope". NPR. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  5. ^ "Chromatics Release Another New 'Dear Tommy' Single, "Blue Girl"". Noisey. June 12, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  6. ^ "Chromatics share new single 'In Films' from Dear Tommy". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. April 8, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  7. ^ "Johnny Jewel unveils 'Just Like You', the first single from Chromatics' Dear Tommy - FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music". Fact. February 12, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  8. ^ "Watch Chromatics' New "I Can Never Be Myself When You're Around" Video". Pitchfork. September 13, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  9. ^ "Chromatics Release "I Can Never Be Myself When You're Around" Video as Dear Tommy Wait Continues". Spin. September 13, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  10. ^ "Chromatics' Dear Tommy Hasn't Come Out Yet Because Johnny Jewel Destroyed Every Copy". Spin. May 3, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Chromatics unveil atmospheric track 'Black Walls', finally confirm release of new album 'Dear Tommy'". NME. May 16, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  12. ^ "Chromatics' Dear Tommy Still Isn't Out Because Johnny Jewel Destroyed Every Copy". Stereogum. May 3, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  13. ^ "Chromatics' Johnny Jewel On Releasing 'Dear Tommy' This Fall: "That's The Idea, Unless I Change My Mind Again"". Stereogum. May 21, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  14. ^ "Chromatics Release New Vinyl-Only Camera EP". Pitchfork. June 5, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  15. ^ Skinner, Tom (October 1, 2019). "Chromatics to release surprise new album 'Closer To Grey' tomorrow". NME. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  16. ^ Breihan, Tom (October 1, 2019). "A New Chromatics Album Is Out At Midnight — But Not Dear Tommy". Stereogum. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  17. ^ Hughes, Josiah; Thiessen, Brock (October 1, 2019). "Chromatics Release New Album 'Closer to Grey'". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b Minsker, Evan (April 17, 2020). "Chromatics Reveal New Dear Tommy Tracklist, Share New Song "Teacher": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  19. ^ "Chromatics Coming to an End, Band Members Say". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  20. ^ Jones, Austin (April 17, 2020). "Chromatics Unveil Long-Awaited Dear Tommy Tracklist, Share New Track "Teacher"". Paste. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  21. ^ Fallon, Patric (October 12, 2019). "Chromatics: Closer to Grey Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  22. ^ "5 new releases we love: Wilco gets positive, Chromatics return, and more". The A.V. Club. October 4, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  23. ^ 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". Fact. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  24. ^ Feenstra, Gerrit (April 30, 2019). "Chromatics' and Desire's First Tour in Nearly a Decade Comes to Phoenix". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  25. ^ Green, Walden (March 2, 2021). "When Do We Give Up On Delayed Albums?". 34th Street Magazine. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  26. ^ Shaffer, Claire (October 2, 2019). "Hear Chromatics' Surprise Album 'Closer to Grey'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
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