Tom Heyman - 24th Street Blues (2023)

A Love Story To and About The Disappearing Mission District in SF Told Before It’s Too Late.

I try to keep an open mind about how life, love and the universe works; but can you explain how or why I searched two hard drives trying to find Tom Heyman’s SHOW BUSINESS BABY album so I could play a track on my radio show; only for an e-mail with this new album attached to arrive 48 hours later?
Then, while listening later in the day I was reading Chuck Prophets biography when Heyman’s name cropped up as a friend and band member of of an early incarnation of the Mission Express!
What crazy Voodoo is this?
There are two more things to note before we get into the actual music; since that last album were Heyman looked like a Soprano cousin on the cover and the music was quite Bar-room/Pub Rockish; he’s grown his hair and a beard and now looks like The Dude from The Big Lebowski as he’s channelling his inner ‘heartbroken singer-songwriter’ on a series of inter-linked songs about how The Mission District, which is his home in San Francisco gradually changes and becomes ever more gentrified.
The title track 24th Street Blues opens proceedings with some beautifully intricate acoustic guitar followed by some cut-throat steel guitar before Heyman’s smooth yet melancholic voice sets the scene by describing the darker side of town as the powers that be move in to clear an area where the homeless have lived for years and the streets of character full houses.
‘Sing about what you know?‘ Heyman does that with razor sharp and romantic observation here on in.
As we move on Heyman takes us on Heyman takes us on an open-top bus ride, the likes of which you’ve never encountered on a romantic city break.
Hidden History has to be listened to in silence, as Heyman describes how a ‘hoodlum’s’ family (a flower child and a nark as parents) becomes his ‘get outta jail’ card later in life, via incisive lyrics and a melody that will break your heart.
There’s a heady mix of his love for the area he calls home and a righteous anger for the changes being forced upon the community around home throughout these songs where he captures the magic that people feel when surrounded by like-minded others; and I fear people from the ‘artistic communities’ of Austin through Chicago to Paris, Manchester and beyond will feel many of these tales (The Mission is On Fire? The Tender Touch? For The Holy Ghost?) will apply to them and theirs too such is the power of Heyman’s insightful writing.
I’m not 100% sure if Barbara Jean and Sonny Jim are real people and real stories or amalgams compiled for artistic purposes; but both will tug at your heartstrings until you can’t breathe.
This being a ‘concept album’ and it most certainly is; I’ve tried to imagine how it will play out on stage. I quickly ruled out a Quadrophenia/West Side Story style film/musical; as it’s a whole lot subtler than that; but I can picture Heyman and assorted musicians sitting on one side of a stage while modern dancers perform in silhouette around them acting out the stories with passion.
While this is obviously a cohesive story that needs to be listened to from start to finish in order, as Heyman has collated them; but there are a couple of outstanding songs that I have no qualms in saying are personal Favourites.
White Econoline is a vehicle that Chuck Prophet also sings about; and while ubiquitous in the USA, it never made its way over the Atlantic so remains as romantic as a Corvette or pick-up truck to the likes of me in Europe.
This is immediatly followed by The Tender Touch; a deceptively simple song of love and longing that taken out of context hits the casual listener like a gut punch just as you were least expecting it, and I absolutely love it.
Taken as its meant; a love story to and about The Mission District of San Francisco this is a release that works in every aspect.
But, as I said earlier, it will also make many people around the world who are too being moved out of artistically inhabited areas of cities, making way for the Tech Companies and associated Hip Kids will now know they aren’t alone.
Yet as a plain and simple collection of quality Americana/West Coast Country Music it works equally as well and shows that Tom Heyman is actually many steps up the ladder of success than his self-depreciation as a ‘Journeyman musician’ would have us believe.