Best known for his work in Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos, Minnesota singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jr. Thomas returns with a collaboration that pays homage to the golden era of soul music. Teaming up with Philadelphia production duo Maxwell Perla & Vincent John – AKA Eraserhood Sound – he’s proud to present his new album Jr. Thomas in the Eraserhood, set for release September 26th via DeepMatter Records.
A project that began with a songbook of tunes Thomas had been working on alone, Jr. Thomas in the Eraserhood came together through the magic of collaboration, and Thomas’ drive to find the perfect musicians and studio combination to fulfil his vision. After hearing Eraserhood’s work with Kendra Morris, Angelo Outlaw, and Say She She, he knew he’d found the perfect match: “The Eraserhood sessions were fuelled by focus, hard work, and pure determination. In the late summer of 2023, I approached Vince and Max from Eraserhood with the vision of making an album—despite not having a single song written. We booked a winter session, and I spent the next four months writing.”
Fast forward a few months, and Thomas flew out to Philadelphia alongside his confidant on keys, Raynier Jacildo (The Volcanos, The Black Keys) for 4-days in Eraserhood’s Philly studio – formerly owned and purpose-built by Questlove. The results of working in a studio rich with history are clear when listening to Jr. Thomas in the Eraserhood. An authentic, analog-focused take on soul music, it pays respect to the genre whilst joining a growing movement that seeks to bring the uplifting energy of the music to a new generation of listeners. Following in the footsteps of recent breakthroughs from the likes of Jalen Ngonda, Thee Sacred Souls and Pale Jay, the record moves between sunshine-ready, groove laden cuts like ‘Can’t Leave You Alone’ and ‘By Your Side’, whilst also finding space for bluesy contemplation on tracks like ‘Never Be Another’ – a heartfelt tribute to and old friend of Thomas’ from Minneapolis.
Lyrically, the record is introspective, digging into Thomas’ reflections and lessons learned from his younger self. Across the 9-track run, he explores the mishandling of relationships and the effects of intoxication – be it from love or alcohol – whilst also handling themes of addiction and loss with a sensitivity and maturity that can only come from a life of experience and decades of learning. “’Life of the Party’ reflects on the years I spent drinking and using, capturing the search for something deeper in the depths of addiction. As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to see those experiences as a source of inspiration.”
Today, Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the standout track “By Your Side,” a shimmering work of soul-funk that eases the listener right in with sultry sweet vocals and a lively R&B groove. The song captures the array of sounds this talented crew is capable of conjuring up, brimming with influences of classic soul, funk, and disco music while also sounding totally fresh and of the moment. We get a tantalizing spectrum of color synths that seem to dance over the groove to make for a song that is guaranteed to get you moving.
Jr. Thomas describes the inspiration and process behind the tune:
“’By Your Side’ came together right after I tore down my studio for a rebuild. I set up a small bedroom studio with just a guitar, bass, and one mono synth, leaving everything else in storage. These limitations helped me focus purely on songwriting without overthinking production. The song is all passion and heavy groove. I had a mono synth part mapped out, but Raynier took it to another level with an arsenal of analog synths. Eraserhood recorded the basic tracks live to tape, so the drums, bass, and synths hit hard. I always include a few call-and-response backing vocal tunes on each album, and Zeek and Turquoise delivered an astonishing performance on this one.”
LISTEN:
