Tim Holehouse - Come

I had come across Tim Holehouse before, and what I had seen and heard was really quite intriguing; bit of a rough and ready bluesman with a growly voice; a Deep South hobo with attitude and a punk spirit. For instance, check out ‘Justice’ from his 2016 offering ‘Just’, all angular serrating guitar, urgent foot stamps and more of that attitude. Or the brutal 1min 38 seconds at his appearance at Fest 17 on YouTube. It’s all from the brutalist school of music production (is there one?, there should be) of turn up, find a space, set the gear up and let it go…Well, Holehouse’s latest offering is certainly the Ying to that Yang. And all the so much better for it. And that is not to decry his earlier work. Not at all. After some fifteen previous albums, ‘Come’ opens the door on what, with sympathetic and nuanced production, Holehouse’s songs can really become. Using a frugal sonic palette, and some fantastic backing vocals, these songs show their potential and just soar…A case in point would be the composition ‘Averio’ with its lush rising strings, beautiful recurring piano motif and those backing vocals. All play counterpoint to Holehouse’ understated, confessional vocal, the end result a magical track. Even the (sometimes) obligatory steel guitar sounds fresh. There is an authenticity that Holehouse brings to the musical table which is both refreshing and disarming. ‘One Day at a Time’ sees him musing on his life and the philosophy he adheres too, acted out over a continuous, delightful guitar rift. The rhythm draws you in, with the result being some kind of hypnotic self-reflection. ‘24 Hours (Come)’ continues the confessional tone, which, due to an interesting musical arrangement, concludes not where you would expect it to do. ‘(I’m Not) Icarus’ again benefits from a subtle production, the violin soaring to a destination nearer to the sun than Holehouse wants to achieve. The album edges to its conclusion with the irresistible hip sway of ‘Placid Lake’, finally concluding with ‘London’ which starts as an ambient name check of London locations, and leads into an explosion of sonic re-affirmation. This is an album which audibly plots the development of its author. With it, Tim Holehouse has written a new chapter to his artistic development. And this new chapter will bring new readers. Guaranteed.