Timonium - Suspende Animation
(Pehr)
There are two major categories of musicians: 1. Those
who simply mimic their influences as closely as
possible and 2. those who translate the essence of
their influences and synthesize them into something
that--although still not totally original--still
contributes something valuable to the history of
music. My initial impression of Timonium (before any
real exposure to them) would have placed them in the
first category. After having seen them play live and
listening to their album, I've realized that my
impression was wrong. Timonium, although certainly
influenced by the "shoegazer" genre, have moved
forward considerably and have found their own niche
within (or maybe just outside of) the genre.
My view of Timonium is certainly colored by the fact
that my first real exposure to them was at one of
their shows which featured only part of the band, the
bassist and the guitarist. I was struck by the warmth
and the clarity of the guitar and was reminded of
these same elements in The Lift To Experience. Adam's
guitar work is simple, but powerful, using little
processing, usually nothing more than a touch of
reverb. This lack of "frills" on the guitar makes the
occasional climaxes all the more powerful. Adam's
voice is also striking, and although light and
breathy, still remarkably direct.
Adam's guitar is certainly the focal point of the
band, and the album is at its best when the
distraction from it is minimal. The rest of the band
seems to understand this and such distractions are
rare. The only track that seems to stray a bit and
lose focus is "Neu Hampshire" which features a more
persistent beat and vocals with a strong presence.
All the rest of the songs seem to keep the balance in
check and are often delicate and sometimes powerful.
By emphasizing the importance of the guitar, I by no
means intend to discount the role of the other band
members, whose contributions, particularly the
bassist's, are excellent and add texture that most
often (and almost without exception) improve the songs
significantly.
The only significant criticism I have for the album
is that it hasn't translated the dynamics and
intensity of the live show. The album tends to dilute
the dynamics of the music a bit, and the result is
less satisfying. I guess at the root of my lack of
satisfaction, though, is the fact that I've seen the
level of intensity they are capable of, so I am
aware of the shortcomings of the album in relation to
it. Here's hoping that they find a way to reproduce
it next time!
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