Thomas Toole says the songs on his new album, “Upside Down Kingdom,” were written with a purpose.
After recording and releasing his first EP, “Place on the Sea,” in 2016, the Greenwood native will debut his second album Monday.
For about eight months, the 24-year-old singer and songwriter worked tirelessly to get his latest project together. Yet, the theme of his new album came swiftly.
“I heard someone say in a Bible study one time — my friend Taylor — she said, ‘You know, guys, the Kingdom of God is so upside down,’ and she just kind of left it there,” Toole said.
The idea stuck with him, and for the next year and a half he thought about what the concept meant.
“I realized in earthly kingdoms that everybody serves the royalty. It’s the king’s wishes and what the king wants. But in the Kingdom of God, it’s just upside down,” Toole said.
“The king actually comes and takes the place of the lowest of the kingdom, and he serves the people that are the poor. He gives his life for people that in a regular kingdom wouldn’t matter at all.”
All of the tracks on the album in some way discuss this idea, such as “Ode to G.K.,” a song that Toole calls political but hopes will “awaken people to this idea of the upside down kingdom.”
What initially began as a five-song project turned into something more.
During the production process, Toole developed thoracic outlet syndrome, which left him unable to use most of his right hand. Unable to play guitar, he ended up having surgery and a brief stay in the hospital, where he came up with his favorite song on the album, “In Front of Us.”
Toole recorded his latest album with Casey Combest of Blue Sky Studios out of Jackson. He is represented by River Records. The label is run by Greenwood native Ethan Oltremari, founder of Revival on the River, the Greenwood Christian music festival, as well as Reagan Daniels and Andy Hackleman.
Oltremari and Toole both went to Pillow Academy but didn’t connect until later. Toole said both he and Oltremari have a shared interest in music, especially music with Mississippi origins.
“We both feel like our music heritage in Mississippi is just so strong, and we have so much to be proud of as far as music goes,” Toole said. “We just want to add and do our best to rediscover ourselves musically for Mississippi.”
Toole said he is thankful for what Oltremari has done for him and has played for Revival on the River since it began in 2016.
“He is not only a great musician but a good friend as well,” said Oltremari. He said he has heard the latest album and loves how real Toole’s music is.
“ His lyrics are something that I have never heard before,” Oltremari said. “It is very unique and it is very real. When he writes, he means it.”
Music and songwriting were a part of Toole’s life from an early age. Both of his grandmothers played the piano and had encouraged all of the grandchildren to learn to play, too, he said. When he got older and more invested in sports, he stopped playing music but continued to sing through worship and while driving in the car to and from school.
After he graduated from Pillow, Toole attended The University of Mississippi to study business management. It was during college that Toole found his voice and learned to play guitar, he said.
He began writing songs, too, which was something he picked up in high school when he was writing poems in his English classes.
“One of the poems that I had written, I had actually turned it into a song. That was my first time to ever write a song,” he said. “ I have always been interested in writing and loved music, but once I learned guitar, it just kind of all tuned together.”
In 2015, after keeping his musical interest under the radar, Toole played his first show at Cups, a coffee shop in Oxford. He began to play more shows and has played all across the Southeast.
At one point, he opened for Jenny & Tyler, a band now based in Nashville. Later in 2016, he recorded his first EP in Nashville.
Once he gained confidence in his music, he began to work on his second project.
Toole currently lives in New Albany and is working in youth ministry. He said he sees his future in music as a way not to make money but to help people.
“I would like to honestly just see people connect with their true selves,” he said.
“Upside Down Kingdom” can be heard on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and Amazon Music beginning Monday.
•Contact Lauren Randall at 581-7239 or lrandall@gwcommonwealth.com.
