Album Notes

Out of the Blue (Megalith Records), produced by Daniel Egger, features a variety of new and old four-track recordings that Laverack recorded between 1992 and 1995(excerpts from earlier recordings that had never been released). The full collection of 36 songs (called Anthology) awaits release, but Out of the Blue marks many of the highpoints.

Having drawn comparisons to an array of distinguished singer-songwriters- from Paul Westerberg to Bruce Springsteen - Bob Dylan to Tom Waits -Laverack shows his preoccupation with the darker sides of life, while retaining a quiet belief in the sacredness of our connections. NY Press proclaimed: “Laverack’s jagged folk-rock cuts to the bone straight through the most opportune vein…Gripping stuff.”

Tom Laverack has been writing and performing music since the age sixteen, living a majority of his adult life in New York City. Laverack and long time musical collaborator, Larry Fessenden, started the band Just Desserts in the mid-eighties and released their first album Sentimental War (Earhorn Disks) in 1987. Recorded with Wharton Tiers (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr), Sentimental War is a concept album and acoustic-driven folk-rock tour-de-force, drawing comparisons to Tom Waits, John Prine, Elvis Costello, The Clash, and The Violent Femmes. The album received rave reviews and extensive college radio airplay. Just Desserts also released the paired down EP, Cold Hearts and Whiskey from which BarNone records issued a limited-release '45' featuring the song Almost Shook You Up. In 1997, Just Desserts released their second full-length album Give Up The Ghost (Earhorn Disks), garnering high praise and extensive college and AAA radio airplay. David Avery of CMJ wrote: “Backed by an understated and cleverly arranged ensemble, singer-songwriter/ guitarist Tom Laverack offers lyrical gems about everything from alcoholism ("Alcohol") to homogenized rock radio ("Last Rock and Roll Band"). For fans of Mark Eitzel, Bruce Springsteen, Replacements.”

In addition to their collaboration as Just Desserts, Fessenden has featured Laverack's solo recordings in all of his feature films, beginning with No Telling in 1991, a film Laverack also scored. Laverack contributed two songs to Fessenden's second feature film, Habit, a release that went on to earn Fessenden an Independent Spirit Someone To Watch Award,and composed the song Hold Out (from the CD Gift Horse) for Fessenden's film Wendigo, which earned the director further accolades and awards, including winning the 2001 Woodstock Film Festival.

Laverack has played at numerous venues in New York City, from CBGB’s to LaMama, and from the Mercury Lounge to
the Living Room. He has had the privilege of playing on bills with Freedie Johnston, The Tom-Tom Club, The Mekons
and Philip Glass as well as many other gifted performers.

Laverack, along with Ambrosino, are founding partners of the independent label, Sojourn Records. Sojourn Records is
an innovative label highlighting the importance of partnering with artists, leveraging technology, and assisting great artists to connect with great audiences.