Tim Guy’s fifth studio album has been a long time coming. I reviewed one of its singles, “St Petersburg” way back in June. However the album Chords drops today and it’s been worth the wait.
The first thing that struck me was how easy Chords is to listen to. On my first listen I didn’t even take any notes because I was too busy enjoying it. The Soundcloud link I received tagged it as pop, country rock, and folk rock, which gives you an idea of the album’s diversity. But there’s a lovely warm organic quality to all the songs that helps unify them.
It was so great to hear “St Petersburg” again. I enjoy it as much as I did when I wrote about it all those months ago. The alt-country feel and story behind the lyrics of “The Rambler” really sucked me in. “Electric Heart” is another highlight, with its slide guitar and clap-along rhythm. The retro feel of “Mixed Up Mind” and funky disco-esque groove of “It’s the Weekend!” add more colour to an already eclectic album.
As I mentioned, this is Tim’s fifth studio effort, and that experience anchors this recording. He approaches every song with confidence, no matter what genre he’s flirting with. This is an accomplished effort from one of Australia’s real unsung talents.
Chords is available now from Tim Guy’s Bandcamp page. He’ll play the following launch shows to support its release.
11 November 2015 – The Toff in Town, Melbourne
25 November 2015 – Crown & Sceptre, Adelaide
5 December 2015 – Bearded Tit, Sydney
He might be a Melbourne boy, but after spending time living in New Zealand and touring the United Kingdom and Europe, Tim Guy can be regarded as a true citizen of the world.