Indy In-Tune #107: Borrow Tomorrow Returns

About a year and a half ago, I introduced a band to this show and used the word "honest" to define them. That is to say, honest in the sense of "real" or "genuine." Since then, that band, Borrow Tomorrow, has been through a lot, to say the least -- the untimely loss of a founding member, the struggles of putting together their first full length album, and the struggles of putting every ounce of energy and passion into their music as they try to move themselves to the next level of their art. In many respects, this interview is quite similar to the last one. They're still a tightly knit band in the upper tier of our local music scene. They're still the same fun bunch of guys. They're still the same self-deprecating musicians who, while they obviously believe wholeheartedly in what they do, are grounded by a sense of realism in how the music industry works. What has changed are the little things -- things you might not notice unless you play both interviews back to back (and have access to the material that was unfortunately edited from both interviews due to time constraints). There's a certain air of confidence you pick up on in the second interview that was not quite as pronounced in the first. There's a bit more collaboration and willingness to trust other people's judgment in songwriting decisions. There's a bit more of a willingness to play "from the gut," take a few risks, and make a few concessions for the good of the music rather than serve one's own vanity or personal preferences. Most of all, there's an even greater rapport with the listener, who is no longer just being told a story, but is now invited to "find their place in it." I suppose to a (*cough* *hack*) casual listener, who puts the new album, Too Far to Feel, on as background music while they plink distractedly at their computer, could possibly make the very basic mistake of writing it off as an inconsistent and directionless mix of country, alternative, and pop. Anything even slightly more attentive, however, will reveal that there is a definite emotional core to this album, and the journey of exploration and self discovery the album takes the listener on is not so much meandering, but instead a subtle and well-planned path, where not every turn is seen before you get to it, and none of the scenery looks the same as you walk past it. But enough with this trying to sound important by using fancy words and mixed metaphors to make a point. This is a great album put out by a great group of guys, and unless you're from another planet or something, you're sure to find something there that speaks to you personally. Links referenced in the show: Borrow Tomorrow can be found here: Web Site | MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Their latest CD, Too Far to Feel, is available from the usual suspects (iTunes | Amazon), but you want to get the physical copy from their web site. They premiered the album at a gala party at the Vogue featuring the Jeremy Vogt Band (Show #004 and Show #057) and Chad Mills and the Upright Willies (Show #023 and Show #074). Don't you wish you were there? Fear not. We were, and we took some pictures. As with the Retrospective EP, it was produced and engineered by Kyle Ferguson. Obviously the in-joke about being a lousy roommate, having no songwriting chops, and being part of the Indianapolis slime core revolution is a send up of Nuvo's scathing review of the album. Lyricist Chris Jerles has a fantastic blog that is a must-read for any fan of BoTo.