Thomas Patrick Maguire Has It In The Bag (originally published in Boog City 98)

Thomas Patrick Maguire (or TPM) has been making unique punk-inspired folk tunes on and around the New York antifolk scene for over a decade. In The Bag, released last December on the Brooklyn label Weemayk Music, is Maguire’s latest album, and one of his best releases so far.

As with most of TPM’s musical output, the 10 songs on In The Bag are packed with surprising and poetic lyrics that could stay stuck in your head for a week or two after a listen.

Like a lot of antifolk artists, Maguire has a knack for crafting unique, entertaining songs about drinking and nightlife, in addition to political and cultural songs touching on viewpoints and topics deemed controversial by mainstream society.

The opening track, “Oh, America,” is a hard- hitting, multidimensional rocker about the destructive nature of capitalism and classism.

“House of Rain,” inspired by Lieutenant Colson from the HBO series Treme, is another highlight of the album, with its haunting refrain “There is no law, you are not safe, the powers piss upon you in the House of Rain.”

There are also a good bunch of songs about late nights spent drinking and partying around New York, like the cheerful, nostalgic “Brooklyn Nights” and the nervous, depressive “Whiskey Morning.”

The songs are at times uptempo and enraged, at times slow and ghostly, and always dark and intense, yet humble and grounded. They’re complemented nicely by his simple but striking guitar work, and melancholy baritone vocals, frequently compared to Kurt Cobain by fans.

The backing band on the album is tight and driving, and adds new instruments like accordion to the mix, bringing out new sonic flavors we haven’t heard on previous albums like 2004’s sparse release Pissing Streams. He could easily play all these songs without a band, as he’s known for captivating solo performances, but Maguire’s band on In The Bag adds exciting dynamics and density to his sound, without overshadowing the raw power of his songs.

In The Bag was produced by Tommy Bones at Studio Bones in Staten Island. It features several musicians from Staten Island’s growing antifolk scene in TPM’s studio band, including Joey Patches (drummer from Phoebe Blue and the Make Beleaves) and Julia Simoniello (guitarist and singer from Yeti).

This record is just one of Maguire’s many collaborations with New York’s forgotten fifth borough, where a good mix of antifolk musicians based antifolk artists and poets has surfaced in recent years, often sharing stages and collaborating with Manhattan and Brooklyn.

In The Bag can be read about, listened to, and purchased on the Internet, from TPM’s website, or on CD at his live performances around New York.

– Jesse Statman

Read more of Cannonball’s coverage of the NYC music scene from this era:

1. Review of The Grasping Straws’ self-titled debut album
2. Profile of Stu Richards, formerly known as Chicken Leg
3. Review of Thomas Patrick Maguire’s In The Bag
4. Review of The First Law’s She Traveled With Me
5. Review of Little Cobweb’s Indelible Marks
6. Review of Zack Daniel’s Memoirs of a Scared Teenager
7. Review of Prewar Yardsale’s Black and Blue
8. Review of Yeti’s Pill
9. Profile of Horra
10. Profile of Lauren O’Brien
11. Review of Nancy Paraskevopoulos’ Comfort Muffin
12. Blurb for The Icebergs’ Eldorado

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