Thomas White, Green Door Store, July 19 (From The Argus)

Thomas White, Green Door Store, July 19

11:17am Wednesday 25th July 2012 in The Critic By Jessica Marshall Mchattie

Is the album a dying art form? As the music industry focuses on single sales, radio airplay and chart positions, it could be argued that fewer consumers will buy a whole album, when they can expend just a few pence on buying only the singles they like from an online retailer. At the forefront of album appreciators stands Thomas White.

The Brighton local is perhaps best known as a member of The Electric Soft Parade and Brakes, but his three solo albums have attracted a lot of fans too. Many of them gathered on Thursday, drawn by the unusual promise of hearing an album from start to end.

I Dream Of Black is White's debut album and was released in 2008, and The Green Door Store was filled with fans who know its every atmospheric twist with familiarity. The ten-track album was acclaimed for the stripped-back sound, but here a full band were playing, including Alex White.

Sticking closely to the album versions, there were variations nonetheless. Starry Night #3 maintains the delicate meanderings of an Air track and, played live, was more forceful. The eponymous I Dream Of Black was even more atmospheric and progressive. The flickering, wine-coloured visuals added an ethereal and dark taint to the music.

White has released three solo albums so far and the others are also being played live, in their entirety, over coming weeks at The Green Door Store. So many albums have been created and perfected with the hope that they'll be played in full yet often aren't, so somehow this makes perfect sense.