| Tim Easton "The Truth About Us" Release date: Jan 23, 2001 New West Records produced by Joe Chiccarelli It doesn't take long for Tim Easton's concise songwriting, Joe Chiccarelli's lively production, and supporting members of Wilco's jaunty vibe to come together nicely on Easton's new record. The opening track, a lovely ballad about timing called "Half a Day," begins sparingly with an Easton vocal and understated piano. Before long, the tale takes off, as a pedal steel creeps in and sets up the payoff: "I woke up on the coldest day/I've ever known/I never strayed all summer long/But you weren't alone/It's just my luck/I'll never miss you again." On "Get Some Lonesome," Easton's acoustic sets the tone before a harp rip straight off Springsteen's "Nebraska" introduces one of the prettiest songs you're bound to hear all year. "He's a shadow but he wants to be real/A shadow but he wants to be real." It's no wonder Easton draws comparisons to legends such as John Prine and Townes Van Zandt. He writes songs that invite you into his world and make you forget about your own for awhile. In "Happy Now," the buoyancy of the melody makes it easy to overlook the message of the song, in which the singer asks sarcastically, "Are you happy now?" in response to a number of drastic scenarios. In one, based on a true story, a boy leaps to his death, hoping his loss will affect SOMEONE. "Young man on the roof took his life today/And he left his parents' bible inside anyway/He wanted them to miss him as part of the plan/But nobody ever even gave a damn." It's then that the optimistic-sounding chorus jumps in, leaving the listener confused yet enthralled. Two of the album's highlights appear toward the end. The first, "I Would Have Married You," begins with a loop which turns into a dige-like beauty of love lost . The album closes with "Don't Walk Alone," a song written by J.P. Olsen, and features perhaps the only truly upbeat words spoken on the record. A lovely ballad, the song features Mark Olson and Victoria Williams on backing vocals. The two come in on the chorus and turn the song into a slow-building drama akin to Springsteen's "Racing in the Street." It's majestic, ending the record on a high note, and readying you for a return visit you're sure to welcome. Lc. HOME |