Adam Thorn and the Top Buttons have soul. It’s evident in the Soul Survivors and Curtis Mayfield tracks that bookend their debut, and it’s let loose in the buttoned up original blasts throughout. Stomping through a world occupied by Motown singles, some well tailored trousers and someone else’s generation, Where’s The Freedom imagines The Who covering the Pistols, while Black Flag stand in the audience clutching copies of Pink Flag…

Thorn spent 1998 – 2005 as the ever-engaging front man and lyricist for Greensboro, NC indie punk sensations Kudzu Wish. Over 3 albums and endless tours, Thorn and co. hit on a unique blend of heavy anthem rock, topical discourse, and one of the most captivating live shows most folks were ever lucky enough to witness. After bowing out at the top of their game, Thorn started the short lived Warbomb!, was employed as an assistant brewmaster, and then began crafting the music for his solo debut.

Old friendships die hard, and for the recording of Where’s The Freedom, Thorn enlisted former Kudzu Wish bassist Tim Lafollette for low end and back-up vocals as well as Greensboro mainstay Jonathan Moore (Tigerbearwolf, Health) on drums and vocals. The results are raw and immediate; catchy r&b infused pop gems full of honesty and magic. The record oozes a joyful charm, and Thorn’s vocals, once hellbent on screaming every word, are given the chance to really breath as he tells his stories, laments his scene, and dreams of days past. It’s a fun ride, and by the time the trio hit the closing harmonies on Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” it becomes clear there’s still some hope for the future.

MYSPACE
www.myspace.com/thetopbuttons