Lauded Athens, Georgia-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Spencer Thomas will return next month with his third solo album, Cynical Vision. The 10-track collection straddles the line between the past and present, electronic and analog, humor and existential dread. Today (February 12), American Songwriter is proud to premiere the second sample of the new LP, “Hoeny Burne.”
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“Hoeny Burne” is a perfect example of the delicate balance that Spencer struck with his forthcoming album. Sonically, the synths and fuzz-heavy guitars combine different eras of music, creating a seamless and captivating blend. Lyrically, it tells the story of a man who keeps himself on the straight and narrow by getting fictional vengeance. In a brief pre-release conversation, Thomas revealed that the song’s protagonist is based on a real person.
Spencer Thomas on Meeting Hoeny Burne
Ahead of today’s premiere, Spencer Thomas took a moment to tell American Songwriter about the origins of “Hoeny Burne.”
“There’s a bar called Martin’s in the heart of downtown Jackson, Mississippi. My old band, Young Valley, cut our teeth playing it back when it was smokey and dingy,” Thomas recalls. “They renovated and expanded the stage, and suddenly it felt harder to draw a crowd, so they started open mic nights that a friend of mine ran to increase business,” he adds, setting the scene.
“There was one guy in there every Wednesday that strummed an out-of-tune sunburst guitar and wore sunglasses. I wouldn’t say he quite sang or played chords, but it was always a ‘performance,’” Thomas explains. “The first time I met him, he told me he also wrote murder and suspense novels under the pen name Hoeny Burne. I was floored,” he recalls.
“I typed it into my phone to look up later, but after a while, I couldn’t resist turning his pen name into its own character. A man so frustrated with his life that he kills off the people of reality in the pages of his books,” Thomas reveals.
Mr. Burne gave Spencer Thomas more than a great song idea. He also inadvertently gave him a quote that will stick with him forever. “I’ll never forget one phrase from his performance that has stuck with me for years now. ‘Three hundred miles is a long way to drive for 15 minutes of fame.’ Sure sums up a music career!”
Cynical Vision Info
Spencer Thomas will release Cynical Vision on March 20 via Strolling Bones Records. The album will be available on digital streaming platforms, compact disc, and autographed vinyl. Copies are available for pre-order today.
Featured Image by Garrett Cardoso
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