Review Date: 2008-02-06
New and great music is always appreciated, and I welcome it with
open arms. I enjoy the excitement of discovering a new artist that’s
just bursting through the door or one I’ve never heard of before, or
actually sitting down and having the opportunity to listen -- and give
my full attention to -- something I’ve wanted to get to for some
time…so let’s just say, I was very excited to give a lot of attention
to Tim Gilbertson, who is frankly just so fantastic, sweet and
charming. Yes indeed, what a combo.
This,
ladies and gentlemen, is what I personally call easy listening, as it
flows so beautifully and flawlessly out of my player that it naturally
makes me smile, and makes the air around me feel light and bright.
After the week I’ve just endured, I am delighted to be dedicating this
short, yet very sweet, 36 minutes to this young musician (or in this
instance, a few hours, as I’ve had this lovely on repeat for days).
When
life changes, throws you for a loop, brings a tear or two or three to
your eyes, it’s nice to have a record such as this one to turn to. It’s
welcoming, pleasant and beautiful in its simplicity, and genuinely made
me feel better just for being what it is. It holds with it a vibe that
is gentle and heartwarming, and I find Gilbertson’s voice soothing and
romantic. His softness and maturity (very surprising considering his
physical age) is nothing short of charming, and I can’t seem to stay
away from the word, but yes indeed, it’s pleasant. Pleasant. How about
refreshing, amusing, cheering and enjoyable? That’s better.
For
someone like myself who is a serious multi-tasker that tends to dream a
portion of each day away, Mr. Gilbertson did a heck of a job of keeping
my attention and impressing me at every turn. Each track electrified
more than the one before, and I didn’t want the record to finish. It
felt flawless, smooth, organic, natural, and…pleasant. See, I just had
to go back to it, but it’s so true and fitting that I can’t really help
myself.
I believe that it’s
also important to once again bring up the fact that I’ve been able to
give this artist some serious time…and it’s not because I have to, it’s
very much because I want to. In the past few days I’ve literally been
listening to this record on repeat, and with my sometimes-wandering
attention span, that’s quite a feat. Well done, Tim Gilbertson; you’re
one of few who have managed to hold me in the palm of your hand.
“Counting Stars” is one of my favourite songs on the album, and I also can’t seem to get enough of “Palm Trees and Postcards”, and
I clearly felt the need to share this information. Perhaps I’m hoping
that you also find these enjoyable, and the rest of the songs right
along with them.
It really just
comes down to this: I truly believe that this is a record you must all
hear, because really, you just should. I can’t say anything else of
importance, because this is an album that needs not only my attention
(which it has clearly received) but yours as well, at least according
to me, and all I can do is sit and relax and hope that it makes a great
impression on you as well. Excuse me now; it’s time for yet another
listen…
Score: 9.2
- Aldona