This is the fifth album, and third studio album, from Canadian folk music project, Timber Timbre, featuring Taylor Kirk, Simon Trottier, Mattieu Charbonneau and Olivier Fairfield
Formed in 2005, Timber Timbre has garnered a solid following, at least in Canada, and this album has just been short-listed for the coveted Polaris Music Prize.
Although not well-known yet on a wider stage, Timber’s music has been used in “Breaking Bad”, “The Good Wife” and “For a Good Time Call..” amongst others.
Their music, although put in the genre of “folk”, is far from the usual sound that moniker implies. “Hot Dreams” is well named: dreamy, atmospheric, cinematic and electronic. It almost plays like a concept album, from the opening, hypnotic “Beat the Drum Slowly” through to the final, instrumental, “The Three Sisters”. Running through the whole album is swampy blues feel, overlayed on haunting instrumentation.
Overtones of “Yes” and “Pink Floyd” can be heard, along with the influence of fellow countryman Leonard Cohen, particularly on “Low Commotion”. There is also the occasional, subtle hint of country, such as in “Run From Me”, which features some lovely vocal work from Taylor Kirk, and my favourite song on the album.
This is an album that grows on you. The more you listen, the more you hear, the more you like.
I’m certainly now a convert, and will be listening to this album a few more times and watching the band eagerly. This could be the album that puts them in front of a wider audience.
Gorgeous stuff.
Reviewed by Tracey Korsten
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