Matthew Tsai
07/14/08, 11:19 AM
Timbre - Winter Comes to Wake You
Record Label: None
Release Date: May 13, 2008
Where do you start when you review an album like this? Reviewing this breathtaking project called Timbre draws parallels to reviewing classical music in that both are timeless, making analysis near impossible. So I will attempt to lay out the most important elements in a concise manner while being as informative as possible. But beware: I am sure to miss certain details that may be personal to the individual, as this is an album that jerks and plucks at the imagination, conjuring unique experiences to the respective listener.
At surface level, Winter Comes to Wake You is an album for rainy days by the heater, lazy Sundays in the sun, and relaxing massages after a stressful day. It's an angelic, harp-driven album that runs well past an hour.
It is not intended to be New Age music, though it will inevitably be used by New Age-er's to meditate. And it is not intended to give listeners the adrenaline-filled headbang experience something like Between the Buried and Me can bring.
Winter Comes to Wake You is an accessible album that is not for everyone. Vocalist and harpist Timbre Cierpke's Irish-esque voice flows hauntingly on every track that contains vocals (and "hauntingly" is an understatement) - in fact, the entire album has a very Irish/Celtic feel to it. As far as musicianship goes, the record is very diverse, sporting choirs, bells, various string and woodwind instruments and keys to just plain frighten auditors with the sheer captivating beauty Timbre brings. "God can't You stitch Your heart over mine / Cover the holes left behind," croons Cierpke on "White on Red." Everything about the band screams splendor and grace, and that's all I can say about this album without being redundant.
All at once spiritual, melodic and ethereal, Winter Comes to Wake You is begging to be picked up on your next quest for relaxation.
Sigur Ros, Anathallo, relaxing
myspace.com/timbre (http://www.myspace.com/timbre)
Record Label: None
Release Date: May 13, 2008
Where do you start when you review an album like this? Reviewing this breathtaking project called Timbre draws parallels to reviewing classical music in that both are timeless, making analysis near impossible. So I will attempt to lay out the most important elements in a concise manner while being as informative as possible. But beware: I am sure to miss certain details that may be personal to the individual, as this is an album that jerks and plucks at the imagination, conjuring unique experiences to the respective listener.
At surface level, Winter Comes to Wake You is an album for rainy days by the heater, lazy Sundays in the sun, and relaxing massages after a stressful day. It's an angelic, harp-driven album that runs well past an hour.
It is not intended to be New Age music, though it will inevitably be used by New Age-er's to meditate. And it is not intended to give listeners the adrenaline-filled headbang experience something like Between the Buried and Me can bring.
Winter Comes to Wake You is an accessible album that is not for everyone. Vocalist and harpist Timbre Cierpke's Irish-esque voice flows hauntingly on every track that contains vocals (and "hauntingly" is an understatement) - in fact, the entire album has a very Irish/Celtic feel to it. As far as musicianship goes, the record is very diverse, sporting choirs, bells, various string and woodwind instruments and keys to just plain frighten auditors with the sheer captivating beauty Timbre brings. "God can't You stitch Your heart over mine / Cover the holes left behind," croons Cierpke on "White on Red." Everything about the band screams splendor and grace, and that's all I can say about this album without being redundant.
All at once spiritual, melodic and ethereal, Winter Comes to Wake You is begging to be picked up on your next quest for relaxation.
Sigur Ros, Anathallo, relaxing
myspace.com/timbre (http://www.myspace.com/timbre)