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Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps takes the best elements of music from the sixties and seventies and blends them with modernism on their new album Better Man. This is an album that will get you moving and grooving as soon as you hit play.. Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps explore multiple genres on Better Man, from upbeat dance tracks to rock anthems to alternative rock and back again, this album has it all. Tikka wanted Better Man to embody the magic of the albums he grew up listening to. There’s something about music from the sixties and seventies that makes you think and want to dance at the same time. Tikka expertly recreates this feeling on Better Man. Before he was Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps, Tikka used to be a songwriter for Finnish band Carmen Gray. His lyrics are heartfelt and personal but relatable creating the perfect storm to make an album of hits
Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps don’t hold anything back musically or emotionally on Better Man, which is a notable trait within itself. What caught my attention even more was the masterful execution of tracks ranging from Rock to Disco. The mixes on the disco melodies are layered and clean, Tikka’s vocals are never lost on any of the tracks, and every song hooks you from the moment you press play. “Ain’t Life a Bitch” is the most rock-n-roll track on Better Man. With heavy drums, Tikka’s feisty performance, and a classic rock sound “Ain’t Life a Bitch” is a whole lot of fun. Tikka’s voice has the unique ability to maneuver genres. He can get gritty on tracks like “Ain’t Life a Bitch” and “I’ve Got My Mind Set on Leaving You” then turn around and lighten it for “Here Comes the Fun.” He has a naturally hearty voice that’s well suited for rock but adds depth to the disco tracks. Where Tikka’s voice really shine is on alternative tracks, “By 2022” and “Hello Loneliness.” On “By 2022” you can really hear the range of his vocals, how he can sit into the heartiness or lighten it, making his vocals one of the most dynamic instruments on the album.
“By 2022” is by far the most modern sounding song on the album but one of my favorites. The mixing on this track is on another level. There’s echoes, traces of synth, vocoder and some intricate layering going on. While some of the “ha-ha-ha’s” in the background reminded me of some songs from the 80’s, “By 2022” is the perfect blend of the past and present. It captures the magic and feeling that inspired Tikka to make this album. Its a tie for me on what song sounds the most retro. “Replayed” and “Done with The Blues” are delicious throwback tracks infused with modernity. “Done with The Blues” has a strong opening melody before changing gears and plunging into soulful vocals. Something about the structure of “Done with The Blues” vaguely reminds me of “I Think I Love You” by The Partridge Family. Its safe to say that the opening melodies of both “Done with The Blues” and “Replayed” are catchy, but “Replayed” is one of the best modern Disco tracks I’ve heard. Groovy guitars blend with a rock solid melody to create a match made in heaven. The synthesizers on Tikka’s voice make it feel like something from the eighties, but that beat and bass make it feel like a disco daydream.
Better Man is a heartbreak album wrapped in delicious melodies. Most of the tracks on Better Man feature Tikka reflecting on a relationship and hoping to move on from it so he can be happier. All of his lyrics are personal and highly relatable, he is able to take responsibility for his shortcomings while finding the strength to hope for something better in the future. Some of the most upbeat tracks have the most melancholy lyrics. The theme of heartbreak and lessons learned come to life through different genres. By blending his love of the albums Tikka grew up with, with such personal subject matter made for an album of instant hits.
Better Man is the album you didn’t know you needed. Whatever direction Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps go, they succeed. Through catchy dance tracks and masterful alternative rock tracks Better Man reaches for your heart while inspiring your bones to groove. You’ll find Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps at the intersection of the personal and musical nostalgia. This is exciting new album that has me salivating over whatever Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps does next. If you need some music to rock out to, then you can’t miss Better Man out now!
by Jennifer Munoz
