'Tis been far too long since Tim Perry last graced our ears with his presence. Thankfully, this new release from Perry and compatriots not only capitalizes upon the mean little batch of tunes he threw down on the Days Of Delay elpee but also improves upon it.
Days, released in the twilight of '03, showed a promising young songwriter working within the confines of the slacker indie milieu but clearly possessing more ambition and talent than many of his contemporaries. This time, the indie-isms come off as muted as Perry seems to have traded in his old clothes for something that feels closer to the translucent skin of '70s studio rat rock. And that's not a bad thing.
The gorgeous "Enclave" feels as much a part of a vintage Steely Dan record as it does something that The Long Winters might have dreamed up (in a momentary collaboration with Velvets-era Lou Reed); "Fight Or Flight" harkens back to an even earlier time, the golden era of West Coast sunshine pop; "Fire Vs.
Flame" and "Paltry Remains" offer a perfect bridge 'tween Syd Barrett and Sufjan Stevens with amazing coherence and accuracy; "Some Sort Of Reaction"
wouldn't be out of place on an early Floyd album.
But Perry has found his own voice as well and he sounds stronger, stranger and more confident than he did on his wonderful debut and should he keep at this rock 'n' roll racket, should he not make us wait two or three years between this record and the next, he might fully well see the following he so richly deserves grow in his wake. A thoroughly fine record from a consistently amazing voice that deserves our attention.
Track Listing
1. Some Sort Of Revelation
2. Under The Waves
3. Apathy And Excess
4. Waisting Taking Up Space
5. Paltry Remains
6. Enclave
7. Treacherous Ways
8. Fight Or Flight
9. Fire Vs. Flame
10. A Million Shards