TDW - 2014 - Music to Stand Around and Feel Awkward To

(57:24; Layered Reality Productions)

Track list:
1. Some Things I 4:08
2. Chameleon 5:22
3. Surface Scratching 3:59
4. Heading Back 2:19
5. Home 4:40
6. Butterflies 3:56
7. Mourning After II 6:30
8. Dreamwalk II. The Descent 8:44
9. Shock Awakening 1:29
10. Jimmy 5:45
11. Some Things II 10:32

Line-up:
Tom de Wit – vocals, guitars, bass, synthesizers
with:
Laura ten Voorde - violin, backing vocals
Sander Stegeman - guitars, backing vocals
Rosita Reitsma - vocals
Elvya Dulcimer - dulcimer
Lennert Kemper - guitars
Sybren Boonstra - guitars
Michiel van der Werff - guitars
Norbert Veenbrink - guitars
Hanna van Gorcum - violin
Tristan Visser - guitars
Maarten Gunsing - vocals
Joop de Rooij - synthesizers
Frank Schiphorst - guitars
Ben van Gastel - guitars


Prolusion. 
Dutch venture TDW is the creative vehicle of composer and musician Tom De Wit, a project that has been active since the early 2000's with close to a dozen productions released under this moniker as of 2026. The album "Music to Stand Around and Feel Awkward To" dates back to 2014, and was released through the label Layered Reality Productions.

Analysis.
It has taken me much too long to get to this album, one of many in my stockpile of older releases I just didn't have the capacity to cover when they initially arrived. Which is too bad, as this is quite the interesting creation.

Progressive metal is the common denominator throughout there, but as an album experience this is one that skips back and forth across both subgenre, sound and execution choices. The mainly calm, collected and controlled lead vocals is a bit of a red thread here though, with De Wit's lead vocals at times reminding me quite a bit of Mariusz Duda. I suspect that quite a few that find Duda's vocals to be captivating may well fell quite at home with the landscapes explored on this album for that reason alone.

We do get a small handful of songs that also explore landscapes with some similarities to the aforementioned Polish band, and then with my associations going towards the earlier phase of Riverside as far as sound, style and execution is concerned. De Wit isn't exploring an identical sound in these songs though, but rather compositions that feature certain similarities in terms of moods and elements.

Classic era progressive metal is also a part of this creation, with some songs giving me associations towards the likes of early days Dream Theater, and others with, perhaps, a little bit more of a Fates Warning tinge to them. As with the Riverside associations from other songs we are talking about certain moods and elements being of a similar nature rather than the entire expression of the songs themselves. Obviously with some tasteful guitar and keyboards s well as guitar and organ combinations being a part of the package here.

In addition we get several songs that are more calm and atmospheric laden altogether, several without any primary metal oriented elements at all. The tasteful opening cut, with the acoustic guitar central, careful floating keyboard backing and a grounded but vital and charming violin solo can be mentioned as a splendid example of those type of songs. That we get a song or two that also includes orchestral and orchestral inspired sounds and textures probably merits a mention too.

Conclusion.
I do not know how well known this now 12 years old album is now in 2026, but chances are good that too few people even are aware of its existence. I do find this to be a both charming and competent production, alternating between atmospheric laden landscapes, classic era progressive metal as well as a more modern take on the progressive metal legacy. A production to seek out by those who enjoy a progressive metal venture that provides a bit of variation alongside an elegant approach and execution to the landscapes explored.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, February 2026

Links:
https://tdwprog.com/
https://www.layered-reality.com/