We have featured prolific songwriter Tom Tikka on several occasions and he continues to put out quality work time and time again. Now he’s back with a new Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps EP, “That’s What Winston Churchill Said”. The project took shape in August and December of last year and features three of Tommi’s old tunes and three brand new ones for this 6-track release executive produced by Michael Stover. “I must say I rather enjoy combining new material with the stuff I have in my drawer. This is a nice way to shorten my backlog, while still staying current. In addition, returning to old songs feels a bit like stepping into a time machine: you get to revisit the feeling or event that inspired you to write them in the first place. It’s actually great fun!”
The oldest track on the release is “All She Wants Is You”, written by a sixteen year old Tikka. Another song on the EP from this era is “A Good Thing Going On” about a family trip to Copenhagen in the early 90s. “Mary” can be traced back to 2008 and a very special day with his family, after reworking some parts in September Tom is happy with the result of this track. “Turn Back The Time” is about a divorce almost a decade ago, and the pain it caused everyone involved, Tom looks back with hindsight and an evolved perspective. The title track “That’s What Winston Churchill Said” is an experimental track about how to deal with the difficulties life throws at you.
The first single from “That’s What Winston Churchill Said” is the mellow and poppy “Jaded Mind”, co-written by Tom’s wife Elina Suomine. Tikka says the song “was inspired by a TV program about my mom and dad’s generation. It covered everything from the first lunar landing to the memoirs of Richard Nixon and beyond. As I was watching the documentary, I realized that the concept of “good old times” isn’t real. Each generation faces its own challenges and does not fully understand the next one.” The track is full of upbeat guitars and a steady drum foundation. Tom’s soulful voice paints mental images of him reflecting on our cultural history. The chorus has a gigantic sound full of vocal harmonies, and has a beautiful melodic pattern that peaks with a very Beatle-esque breakdown. The moving anthem will make you think and the melody will play in your head all day, and you’ll love it.
“The song’s also about struggling with faith. Sometimes life doesn’t really make all that much sense and we all hit rough patches. These usually make us wonder if there is anything “bigger than us” anywhere or if life’s just a chain of random occurrences. I’ve always been a spiritual person and while I’ve lost my way a few times over the years, I have never really lost my faith. However, I do feel a bit jaded about life these days every once in a while and this is what this song is about.” This track along with “Turn Back The Time” are accompanied by music videos that were scripted, directed, filmed, and edited by Elina Suominen.
You can stream the entire “That’s What Winston Churchill Said” EP on Spotify right now and listen to “Jaded Mind” on our Prime Cuts Playlists. Please continue to support artists like Tom Tikka and share this music with everyone you know.
Categories: Experimental, Experimental - Rock, Pop, Pop - Rock, Rock
The Music Butcher 
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