The Starlings, Mine Review
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Tom Eeckhout (Tom Dice) and Kato Callebaut are The Starlings, a new Belgium band created by the two singer-songwriters that share their passion for music and for each other. Tom has released three albums (Teardrops, Heart for Sale, and I’ve Come a Long Way) and multiple singles under his pseudonym Tom Dice. Kato has released two albums (Flamingo and Warrior) and multiple singles too. Together, Tom and Kato create a rootsy-pop music with an acoustic feel and interesting male/female vocal harmonies. The duo named their band after a bird, the Starling is a passerine, one of the most beautiful perching birds, recognizable by their fun, modest and playful personalities. That energy and imagery is how Tom and Kato create their music. The Starlings have a new single out, “Mine.” The tune was written when they both met at a great bar in Ghent to share their passion about music, but that amazing night, they fell in love and wrote a song about it.
Positives:
Solid songwriting, vocal harmonies and a passion for music and each other that comes through the music and transforms into great lyrical stories.
Bottom Line:
Tom and Kato are beautiful together, add the passion of their story and how they meet and “Mine” has a buzz that you can hear and feel. Set to a soft acoustic guitar figure and a swelling synth, Tom sets the storyline with his warm vocals through the first verse. The pre-chorus has a nice rhythmic change and when the chorus hits, the magic starts. Tom and Kato blend beautifully, creating and romantic sound that is catchy and full. The second verse features Kato’s soft warm voice with the addition of bass and drums to build the track. The songwriting is solid, each section builds with more vocal harmonies and instruments floating in. The bridge is a nice color and harmonic change that leads back to the duet presenting the melody together. The song continues to build with a cadential figure that leaves one with images of fairy-tales and bed time stories. Tom and Kato have the magic. That’s the short of it!