Listen to a conversation with Tommy Oeffling, a musician based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Outside of music, Tom is a student at Marquette University, where he is studying to be a teacher! He’s a fan of cooking, walking, talking, and time spent with friends. In our time, we talked about an assortment of topics; a little bit about music, touring, Tom’s band, childhood, and an upcoming album.

 Tom has released seven albums over a span of just four years, which goes to show his incredible work ethic and passion to constantly create art. This past year, Tom released his seventh album titled “Picture of Health,” which consists of ten tracks, all of which showcase Tom’s indie-rock sound and inventive lyrics. My favorite track from the album is “Saturday, Union,” which features a line that states, “I’ve been boxing myself and I’ve been knocked out for too long.” This line exemplifies Tom’s fresh storytelling and ability to create lyrics that leave listeners analyzing.

Tom shared that he is in the midst of working on a new album that will feature eight tracks. Listeners will be in for a treat, as the album follows a unique format, representing an average Saturday, with each song marking a different time stamp in the day. Tom said that inspo for this concept came partly from a book he read titled “Ulysses” by James Joyce, which is a story that takes place in one full day. Additionally, each song will follow different musical styles and themes. Tom claims that it’s a very impersonal album, with only one song being about him. “It’s been more fun not writing about me,” Tom stated. 

Tom generously sent over a few demos from his upcoming album, which gave a taste of the vibe and overall feeling of what the new album will emulate. From the few songs I listened to, each one stood strong by itself, differing in theme and genre. While they featured different sounds and stories, they also managed to be a cohesive product. The songs have a feel-good nostalgic quality and warm sound that I could imagine soundtracking a coming of age film. Filmmakers, this is my PSA in letting you know that Tommy Oeffling may be just the musician you need. Overall, the songs showcased Tommy’s versatility as an artist and it left me stoked to hear more to come.