Nashville artist Thomas Austin’s new single “Let There Be” has the timeless feel of hearing Phil Ochs at Folk City or Simon & Garfunkel in a smoky club in 1964. There’s now a great new voice on the Mt. Rushmore of 21st century tenors as Austin takes his place alongside Charlie Puth, BØRNS and Thom Yorke.
Although the purity of Austin’s voice is what first hits you, this is also one helluva great song. The artist holds a degree in song composition from a Nashville university – a course of study that wasn’t available to Dylan and John Lennon. Austin makes good use of his schooling because the chorus really elevates and the lyrics are insightful.
“The song is getting at what it means to create something from nothing,” says Austin. “Every time I try to write a song, it feels like the first time I’ve ever done it; every time I finish writing a song, it feels like it could be the last song I ever write. It’s the same with watching spring happen; it feels brand new every time, as if the flowers and trees don’t have to come back every year, but are given intentionally. It’s tension and grace, and the humbling mystery of those things are a necessary condition for art.”
Despite his folk influences, Austin grew up rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers – a team that has the blue-collar appeal of many of the Premier League line-ups. I predict he’s gonna find a receptive audience in both the US and UK.
Listen to “Let There Be” below, or find it on your streaming platform-of-choice.
