Timber Timbre’s self-titled album is short and sweet, and currently, it’s my favorite record. With 8 songs totaling just over 32 minutes, Taylor Kirk – Timber Timbre’s core member – achieves more than many bands do with a full-length release.
Timber Timbre was released in Canada on January 13th, 2009 and in the U.S. on June 30th of the same year. The album helped spread the word to more fans than the small but faithful few that had come from a few releases in years prior.
The album is simply arranged. Most of the time, Kirk’s eerie voice is accompanied by a low, creeping beat and an occasional guitar or keyboard part. Every instrument usually repeats the same set of phrases throughout the song, and most of the time the phrases play off of each other. During “Magic Arrow,” the same guitar part is played and is trailed by a distant synth. Even though it repeats, you don’t realize that the song goes on for over 6 minutes – pretty impressive.
Kirk’s lyrics have already engrained themselves in my head. They are to-the-point but still powerful. Throughout the album, there is a weird charm to what Kirk sings. His words are scary in a very subtle way. In “Demon Host,” he sings one of my favorite verses I’ve heard in a while:
And eagle, eagle, towel, and scream
I never once left in between
I was on the fence and I never wanted your two cents
Down my throat, into the pit, with my head upon the spit
Oh Reverend, please, can I chew your ear?
I have become what I most fear
And I know there’s no such thing as ghosts
But I have seen the demon host
Many songwriters (including myself) often get carried away with the enormous amount of words available to us, causing a song to become too contrived. Kirk doesn’t bog down any of the 8 songs with anything unnecessary. “I Get Low” is a great example of this. One verse is simply written:
One moment I’m a king
The next minute I’m nothing
I just wanted to feel alright
But it’s not that simple
And the chorus repeats:
I get low low low low low low
On my own
I get low low low low low low
On my own
Again, nothing that isn’t necessary for making a great song.
Timber Timbre is categorized as “indie folk,” and Timber Timbre is categorized as a blues album. It’s really fun to listen to how the two elements work to each other’s advantage. My favorite track on the album is “Trouble Comes Knocking.” During the verses, you hear a guitar part that would fit nicely in any Muddy Waters song. The chorus branches out a bit – an organ plays the minor chords while a piano plays chopstick-style right over top. The song ends with several overdubbed violins moaning out single, sustained notes.
There is no point during Timber Timbre where a note is played or a word is sung for the sake of being heard. The album is short and contained, leaving you desperately wanting more. I’m one of the listeners who desperately wants more, and after hearing this album, I will be a long-time fan.
