Tom Verlaine (album)

Several tracks, including "The Grip of Love", "Breakin' in My Heart", "Last Night", and "Red Leaves" trace their roots to unreleased Television songs. In the case of "Red Leaves", the verses are drawn from "Adventure", the unfinished title track of Television's 1978 album Adventure. Fred Smith, bassist for Television, also performs on the record. Ricky Wilson, at the time guitarist of the B-52's, plays guitar on "Breakin' in My Heart"; it is the only song Wilson recorded that did not involve other B-52's members.

David Bowie covered "Kingdom Come" the following year on Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps). Tom Verlaine was originally set to play lead guitar on this version; however, Bowie was unhappy with his part and instead used King Crimson guitarist, Robert Fripp.

The album was originally mixed by Verlaine, but this mix was rejected by Elektra Records. Bob Clearmountain subsequently remixed the album, and it was this version that was released by Elektra in 1979. In 2002, a CD reissue by Collectors' Choice Music inadvertently used the earlier, rejected mix for initial pressings fulfilled by mail order;Phil Obbard, [http://www.obbard.com/tvlist-archive/0301/msg00308.html], ICE Magazine, CD Watchdog column, January 2003 this was subsequently replaced with the approved Clearmountain mix by the time the CD was made available through traditional retail channels.

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/tom-verlaine-mw0000234526 |title=Tom Verlaine – Tom Verlaine |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=November 15, 2016 |last=Cleary |first=David}}

|rev2 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin (writer) |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}

| rev3 = The Great Rock Discography

| rev3score = 7/10{{cite book|title=The Great Rock Discography|author=Martin C. Strong|author-link=Martin C. Strong|edition=1st|year=1998|isbn=978-0-86241-827-4|publisher=Canongate Books}}

| rev4 = MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide

| rev4score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite book|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|editor=Gary Graff|editor-link=Gary Graff|edition=1st|year=1996|location=London|isbn=978-0-7876-1037-1|publisher=Visible Ink Press}}

| rev5 = Music Week

| rev5score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite magazine|date=September 29, 1979|title=Album Reviews: Tom Verlaine — Tom Verlaine|magazine=Music Week|page=26|publisher=Pensord Press Ltd.|location=Gwent|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1979/Music-Week-1979-09-29.pdf#page=28|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=April 2, 2025|via=WorldRadioHistory.com}}

| rev6 = OndaRock

| rev6score = 7/10{{cite web|url=https://www.ondarock.it/rockedintorni/television.htm|title=Television|language=it|website=OndaRock}}

| rev7 = Record Mirror

| rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Tom Verlaine: Tom Verlaine |magazine=Record Mirror |date=October 6, 1979 |last=Coyne |first=Peter |page=23}}

| rev8 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Tom Verlaine |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/848 848–49]}}

| rev9 = Spin Alternative Record Guide

| rev9score = 7/10{{cite book |chapter=Television |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor1-link=Eric Weisbard |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |pages=398–99}}

| rev10 = The Village Voice

| rev10score = A−{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv10-79.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |work=The Village Voice |date=October 8, 1979 |accessdate=February 4, 2016 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

}}

Tom Verlaine was ranked at number 15 among the top "Albums of the Year" for 1979 by NME.{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1979-2-1045405 |title=1979 Best Albums And Tracks Of The Year |work=NME |date=October 10, 2016 |accessdate=November 15, 2016}}

All songs written by Tom Verlaine.

1. "The Grip of Love" – 3:58
2. "Souvenir from a Dream" – 3:47
3. "Kingdom Come" – 3:42
4. "Mr. Bingo" – 3:57
5. "Yonki Time" – 3:54

1. "Flash Lightning" – 3:52
2. "Red Leaves" – 2:49
3. "Last Night" – 4:37
4. "Breakin' in My Heart" – 6:06

• Tom Verlaine – guitar, vocals; organ on "Kingdom Come"
• Fred Smith – bass, guitar, percussion, vocals
• Jay Dee Daugherty – drums, percussion, vocals
• Allan Schwartzberg – drums, percussion on "Kingdom Come"
• Tom Thompson – drums on "Last Night"
• Deerfrance – vocals on "Red Leaves"
• Mark Abel – 12-string guitar on "Last Night"
• Bruce Brody – piano on "Last Night"
• Ricky Wilson – guitar on "Breakin' in My Heart"

;Technical

• Michael Ewasko – engineer
• John Jansen – additional engineering on "Last Night"
• Johnny Lee – art direction, design
• Joel Brodsky – front cover photograph

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Category:Tom Verlaine albums

Category:1979 debut albums

Category:Elektra Records albums

Category:Albums with cover art by Joel Brodsky

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