Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams [Folk/Blues Rock]

For their fifth full length LP, Timber Timbre have come through with a smoke filled, slightly psychotic, and obsessive collection of songs that are as wonderfully seductive as they are terrifying.

The opening track "Beat the Drum Slowly" sets the tone perfectly. A spaghetti western theme on a bad acid trip; the beautifully eerie opening keys on this track are soon joined by a steady, slow-strummed guitar and Taylor Kirk's deep, moody croon to build a wonderfully dark atmosphere which is sustained throughout the LP.

The album's title track is up immediately after. The themes of twisted love and dangerous obsession continue with lyrics such as, "I wanna follow through, follow through on all my promises and threats to you, babe". This dark, beautiful waltz opens with some of the best sounding keyboards/synths I have ever heard, and ends with a sultry Saxophone motif which builds up and up into a startling climax.

Taylor Kirk provides some fantastic personality in this track, and his voice seems to have blossomed into something really special on this album. His tone is heavier than previous releases, and he seems to have perfected his delivery; the line "I want another chance" on this track makes it's clear Taylor Kirk isn't asking for another chance, but demanding one.

The three instrumentals on this album are great, and are much more than filler material, especially The New Tomorrow, which serves as a fantastic introduction to the creepiest song on the album, Run From Me. I won't say too much about this track except for pay attention to the lyrics.

Curtains, Hot Dreams, Grand Canyon, and Bring Me Simple Men are the stand-out tracks from this album; the lyrics and Kirk's voice on these tracks provide some really colourful imagery, and each one paints it's own grim picture.

As a whole this is a very complete album, providing some of the best imagery, and production that I've heard in a very long time. On first listen it's a very pretty album, and is pleasing to the ear, but scratch away at the surface just that little bit and it becomes clear that this album is anything but nice. Hot Dreams is Timber Timbre's best musical and lyrical work to date, and is guaranteed to leaving you begging, clawing, dying for another listen.

[9/10]

NB: This was the first review on the blog and I originally gave it an 8/10, but I don't know why, this is clearly a strong 9 or a light 10. Almost a perfect album, if there is such a thing.