TRYSTAN CLIRONOMOS: SHORT TERM LOAN
Short Term Loan – Trystan Clironomos Release Date: March 25th, 2022
Track Listing:
1. Short Term Loan 2. Barstools 3. On My Back 4. Fish Song 5. Good On My Own 6. Ashley 7. Walking The Dog 8. Tradesman 9. Flock To Fly
Short Term Loan is the powerful culmination of a desire to not just write, but escape into music. Vancouver’s own singer-songwriter Trystan Clironomos debuts his first album with the loving collaborative efforts of his childhood friends – David Thomson (studio, recording, mixing), Colin Spratt (accompaniment, co-recording, mastering), and Charlie Van (accompaniment) – to bring listeners on what feels like a slow drive in the summer’s beating heat.
Clironomos’ sound is authentic and raw, reflective of the album’s intention of being a collection of stories through his lifetime, or a “time capsule.” Crisp acoustic guitar, coupled with the lightest tap of a snare and a steady drum beat is a common instrumental theme through the entire album, and it works well as a cohesive sound. Clironomos’ vocals are twangy and charmingly rustic; personable. There is obvious intention behind the soundscape of this album to not overproduce, but rather provide an in-room listening experience.
I find the album and overall sound to be nostalgic, and perhaps heavily inspired by 60’s-70’s folk rock and country – which is hard to do memorably among the resurgence of vintage-influenced sounds these days. Clironomos’ voice is like a slow burn; even faster songs like “Fish Song” and “Walking the Dog” make for easy-listening. It lends itself well to the sound, and I found myself thinking of old names like Lead Belly and Johnny Cash despite Short Term Loan not being an exact genre match.
A stand-out song for me is “Barstools,” for two reasons. First: it’s catchy. It’s got a blues-type quality with the backing vocals and the rhythmic up and down cadence of the melody that is great for driving with the windows down. Second: the story it tells. The lyrics are cheeky and narrative, which I find integral to Clironomos’ mission to facilitate conversation with oneself and others. The song features a guitar interlude between each verse—lonely, but peaceful.
Highlighting Clironomos’ lyrics once more, two songs to bring forward are “Ashley,” which features a somber storyline accompanied by campfire-esque, jaunty instrumentals, and “Good on My Own.” Clironomos states that he ventured in solitude to write this album – “finding a paper and pen” – and that is reflective in the lyrics of his songs. Sometimes the lyrics are metaphorical, but I find that the verses where he sings simply about his journey are the ones that feel intimate.
The album ends with “Flock to Fly,” which is a song that features the comforting strum of an acoustic guitar and Clironomos’ vocals. I think it is a great way to end the album, bringing that serene quality back to it like a concluding chapter. If you’re ever in need of warm company on a long drive alone, I think you’ll find company in Short Term Loan.
Written by: Alexa Tarrayo
Short Term Loan by Trystan Clironomos