Glastonbury Songwriter Traveling Forward With New Recording

GLASTONBURY, CT — It's a journey back to his own stuff for singer/songwriter and guitarist Tom Guerra.

Guerra, a Glastonbury resident since 1989, is gearing up for the May 12 release of his new album, "Sudden Signs of Grace." It's his fourth solo record after leaving indie rockers Mambo Sons, and is available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc. as well as via his website:

• http://www.TomGuerra.com

"Grace" follows the success of "American Garden" (2018) and "Trampling out the Vintage" (2016) and "All of the Above" (2014).

After a recent collaboration with The Yardbirds, Guerra said it was time to get back to writing songs for himself.

Tom Guerra's New Album ( Melissa Askew)

"Sudden Signs of Grace" contains nine new original tunes, including the single "Lover's Time."

The single begins with a lively riff that shows off Guerra's talent on the strings. The song is a true toe-tapper that has a place for both cruising and partying and features a chorus one just can't help singing along with. The sound proves that Guerra can certainly strum with Dylan and travel with the rest of the Wilburys.

The album features two covers — "Streets of Baltimore, popularized by Gram Parsons; and "Gimme Some Water," an early Eddie Money work.

Guerra said of his late friend Money (who died in September), "When I heard Eddie was sick, I recorded one of my favorite tunes of his and sent him a copy." Former MTV VJ Martha Quinn, Money's longtime friend, also gave Guerra's version a thumbs-up.

Speaking of Dylan, his longtime collaborator Kenny Aaronson (who also worked with George Harrison) said, "Tom is a great songwriter. He has great pop sensibilities, and I really like his way of crafting a melody. He is a sensitive and keen observer of the human condition as one will hear in his lyrics."

Guerra said several tracks on the new album are "tight, 3-minute songs recalling the lyrical and melodic creativity" of Tom Petty, whom he termed one of his favorite songwriters.

Said Guerra, "I always loved Tom Petty's economical approach to writing and try to live by his mantra — Don’t bore us, get to the chorus — on these songs."

Guerra said other tracks, including "It’s All in the Skies" and "Just Like the Sun" were inspired by his love of nature. "Sun" (featuring former Queen/Mott the Hoople pianist Morgan Fisher) begins as a ballad then blasts off into a powerful rocker. The title track, Guerra said, was written after he heard a preacher proclaiming, "we're all looking for sudden signs of grace."

The album was recorded prior to the coronavirus pandemic and Guerra said he felt compelled to release it now because "people need music, especially during times like these."