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Back with another superb single, The New Brutarians are channeling Side 2 of G N' R Lies by way of The Dogs D'Amour. Written in his bed at the Mondrian Hotel in Hollywood, "Tiger Tales" is Adam T's ballad of an aging glam rocker — a song that finds him reflecting back on a journey we all take. One day, you're young and pretty, and so much seems to be in front of you. Then the next day you wake up, and the decades have passed. Life has kicked you in the butt pretty well, and you have all sorts of regrets and disappointments to confront. But you've also got precious memories and some great stories to tell. I've been a fan of Adam T for a long time, but there's something about the gravitas he possesses now that has me feeling like we're just starting to see (or hear) the best of him. He has blossomed into one of rock 'n' roll's finest living lyricists. "Tiger Tales"' lyrics absolutely knock me out, and they're delivered in such a way that you can really feel them. If you're going to do ballads, they should be like this where someone can hear it and be like, "Oh hell yes, this is my life, too!" The song is loaded with touchstone references and comes off like an anthem for all those Gen X glam-punks who are still fighting the good fight. How's this for a chorus?
We were loaded like a night train
Reeling from the brain drain
Baby
Never got the invite
Never got the wind in our sails
Living in a house of pain
Loving all these lame flames
lately
But maybe tonight
I'll get that tiger by the tail
Tell some tiger tales
On "Tiger Tales," Adam T is joined by Deb Ruby on vocals along with Alan MP, Robbie Rist, Jerry Andrews, and Billy T. It's a powerhouse of a song, and I love the way it culminates on a positive note — as Adam T remembers himself and his friends as "neon peacocks twisting in the air." Within a very particular community, this song will be goosebump-inducing.
On the virtual B-side, "The New Picasso" is a stripped-down acoustic number that alternates between being a deeply intimate love song and a reflection on Adam's identity as an artist. Perhaps he's been called the new Bukowski or the new Stiv Bators a time or two, but at this point, he's the one-and-only Adam T. I love the rawness and simplicity of this song. Its mixture of humor ("I'm not gonna throw myself under a car near Porte de la Chapelle/Or cut off my fucking ear") and sincerity is deeply satisfying. A song like this can be hard to pull off, but this track could not be more perfect.
"Tiger Tales," along with the recent New Brutarians singles "Born Out of Time," "Delinquent Things," "(Better Than The) Apocalypse," "Del Rio Way," and "Tonight's Your Night (Tonight)" has been compiled onto a 10" record that is coming out on Sioux Records. You diehard glam rockers will want to keep your eyes peeled for that! A digital version should also be available soon. As a whole, these songs represent a new distinct chapter for The New Brutarians, with much more certain to come!
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