Album Review: Full Circle by Tom Misch
Written by Rowyn Belt
Full Circle, Tom Misch’s latest album, was released on March 27 and fans could not be more excited. The album was announced on January 28 of this year, but listeners have known that something was coming since the release of leading single Old Man on March 21, 2025. There are a handful of standouts, but this is most definitely one along with Flowers In Bloom, Running Away, and Days Of Us.
The album opens with Flowers In Bloom, a perfect opening to anything by Misch. It’s immediately rhythmic, laid back and groovy, flaunting his signature style. The refrain of this song, “forever changing like the flowers in bloom,” brings the listener to a very relatable spot in Misch’s music, creating a circumstance that is inevitable in every person’s life. The meaning is full of deep thoughts and philosophy, but the song is simple at its core. It really proves the point that complex doesn’t always mean better.
Old Man comes fifth in the order, presenting that nostalgic feeling that Misch is all too familiar with creating. The lyrics to the chorus, “lately, look in the mirror- it’s hazy. Who is that figure before me? He looks a bit like my old man,” are full of adoration for Misch’s “old man,” and the production makes this feel like a tune off of an old record, heard in a grandparent’s house. Tom Misch has always been incredible with this style of music, but it has only gotten better with this new release.
Running Away is directly after Old Man, really bringing a different vibe to the table. Even just thinking about the opening guitar lines, they’re so different in essence already. The amount of diversity that Misch is able to draw from similar instruments is incredible, really allowing him to utilize what he has available to him.
The final song of the album is Days Of Us, and the introduction speaks for itself as to why it’s a standout. The saxophone lick moving through dynamics and keys is not only wicked, but also widely impressive in an album with minimal horn parts. The lesson of the song, “we need our time to grow, no matter where we go,” is not only incredible for the younger audience listening to Tom Misch, but also the older side of the coin.
Tom Misch has outdone himself yet again with Full Circle. Between tracks Flowers In Bloom, Old Man, Running Away, and Days Of Us, current fans can enjoy tastes of older tunes, and younger fans can go and find their CD or vinyl.
