Songs to murder your lover by
Timber Timbre’s music is the kind of stuff that if you put it on the soundtrack for your “crazed lunatic escapes from the asylum and begins spree-killing teenagers in the woods” thriller, it makes the movie.
Taylor Kirk has come a long way from the bare bones recording style he employed on Medicinals and Cedar Shakes, released in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
Timber Timbre’s latest eponymous offering is positively orchestral in comparison to those efforts. But it’s glaringly spare next to anything else.
Released on Toronto indie-label Out of This Spark, Timber Timbre is not so much about the genre of music (though I guess if you were desperate to put labels on it like the corporato fascist you are, you could call it bluesy folk) as much as it is about mood. And the mood here could best be described as “Holy shit! Please do not murder me and leave my corpse to be eaten by wild dogs! I’ll do whatever you want!” Members of Bruce Peninsula and Forest City Lovers contribute to the album as well.
Kirk’s voice has the same brittle, warbling quality as Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons. But while Antony uses his voice to sing plaintive love songs, Kirk puts his to use on macabre murder ballads.
You might recall that I am a fan of such tunes. They put a spring in my morose step and a sliver of gladness in my black, black heart.
But these are not your grandpa Nick Cave’s murder ballads. Oh no. They are far more frightening. See, a lot of murder ballads are really up front about describing their anti-heroes plugging you full of lead or leading you down to the river where they drown you so nobody finds out about your clandestine affair. But Timber Timbre’s music is much more subtle; The threat is implied, not spoken and that’s scary as fuck. Check out the opening lines of “We’ll Find Out:”
Do your actions mention,
your heart’s intentions?
we’ll find out, we’ll find out
Is your mind mistaken,
is your conscience not at ease?
We’ll find out, we’ll find out
How will they find out? I don’t know, but if I had to hazard a guess, I bet it involves shackles, a ballpeen hammer and a rusty pitchfork hidden away in a dank root cellar illuminated by a single, bare bulb. *shudder*
Then there’s the twisted, carnival-esque song “Trouble Comes Knocking.” The steady piano and the slinky, serpentine organ interludes remind me of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ version of “I Put A Spell On You.” Sultry and seductive, this song sounds like the band recorded it in the swamp with a voodoo priestess at the ready to conjure demons as needed.
I like the sinister, ominous nature of the tunes on offer here. They’re darkly fragile and sickly sweet and maybe I should just go ahead and marry Taylor Kirk and have his pale, miserable little nightmare babies. Um. I’m going to stop now before I further embarrass myself. Timber Timbre plays the Island Stage at Hillside Festival Saturday at 5 p.m.
Buy their stuff on zunior or iTunes.
Timber Timbre - We'll Find Out: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Timber Timbre - Trouble Comes Knocking: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Actually, Cedar Shakes was released in 2005 and Medicinals was released in 2007. Also, the s/t album was originally released in 2008 by Out Of This Spark, but re-released this year by Arts and Crafts.
Bah! This is what I get for trusting iTunes. I am suitably humbled and chastened.