Knives and Teeth

At some point in every man's life, he looks in the mirror and is surprised by what he sees. His hair is a bit more gray, his skin a bit more wrinkled, his eyes are paler than he remembered them being the day before. He begins to wonder: What is my life's work? Where am I headed? What is truly important to me? For Tom Hamilton that day is today and the questions are being asked on Knives & Teeth, the powerful new album he s recorded with his band, American Babies. Over the course of 10 songs that range from uplifting to heartbreaking, Hamilton considers the secrets of childhood, the impending doubts of adulthood and the weight of strained friendships, all set to a soundtrack with the brashness of The Replacements, the sonic intensity of David Bowie and the acoustic majesty of Led Zeppelin. Hamilton is best known as one of the founding members of the highly successful electro-rock band, Brothers Past, an endeavor that infused the song structures of The Grateful Dead into the experimental music of Aphex Twin and Squarepusher (a sort of 'Pink Floyd with laptops,' as Hamilton calls it). When the strictures of band life became creatively stifling, Hamilton decided in 2007 to form American Babies. A loosely-organized operation wherein Hamilton is the sole constant member, American Babies has released three sets over the course of six years: their self-titled debut, which won them numerous festival appearances as well supporting gigs with Sheryl Crow, Derek Trucks and The National; a 2010 EP called Weight of the World; and, in 2011, their second long player, Flawed Logic. When asked to describe his new record, Knives & Teeth, Hamilton's answer is short and compact but, like his lyrics, is loaded with deeper meaning: 'It's a 40-minute existential breakdown.'