Reviewed by Aaron Cloutier
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Swift Timmy (aka Tim Channon) joins forces with vocalist extraordinaire Adelaide Channon to deliver a powerfully evocative and haunting performance on the somber “If You Wait Too Long.” A stripped down and vibe heavy pop ballad, this song calls for action towards the ever growing issue of climate change.
Written by Tim, inspiration seems to be drawn from a number of musical influences in addition to the song’s mission statement. Listeners will detect hints of blues and even jazz deep woven into the fabric of the song’s structure but perhaps will notice more of the latter’s influence in the instrumentation itself. The drum sound is very organic and dry as the delicate touch of brush strokes on the snare set the pace while bass and acoustic guitar lock in tightly. Everything at this point is incredibly driving and rhythmic without it beating you over the head. Very trance inducing!
Coloring in between the lines are some expertly played piano passages. The pianist here is given a lot of room to play around in and to great effect but always waits for an appropriate opening. As the song progresses, the arrangement builds throughout with additions of orchestral strings, far away synths and what sounds like harpsichord being brought into the fold which keeps things interesting over the repeating song structure. No doubt a boss production decision there!
Despite the amount of instrumentation, nothing is ever cluttered. These are top-notch players that sound like they’re having a great conversation.
What really held me however was the arresting vulnerability of Adelaide’s vocals. Her performance is elegant, angelic, and acrobatic as she eases from subtle mixed to a commanding head voice with touches of vibrato and expression. There’s such an honesty to her performance that I can only describe as captivating. The performance hits home even deeper upon reading the lyrics as the song’s meaning revolves around climate change, and the problems caused by fossil fuel companies refusing to embrace change.
The concept best conveyed in lines like “If you wait too long, you’re going to lose the earth. And you’ll know just what your money’s worth.”
Be sure to check this one out. The writing, performance, and production are all killer!
About Swift Tammy Swift Timmy is a recording project from the Northern Beaches area of Sydney Australia. All music and lyrics are by Tim Channon, who also plays guitar and bass on most of the tracks. The songs feature the hauntingly beautiful voice of Adelaide Channon, who not only sings wonderfully but is also a fine classical trumpeter.
For more information, visit Swift Timmy's website.
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