Tim Butler has a gentle pop sensibility, not far from his friend Cliff Hillis who plays guitar on “That’s The Way You Want Me To Be.” There is a personal honesty reflected in the lyrics as well, and the catchy, “Special Plan” is like Black Crowes lite, with a perfect blend of guitar and vocal melody. Tim’s vocal often carries the tune with a minimum of flash, just a simple clean production. The wonderful “Christine” is another mid-tempo pop gem that features an ascending bass line. Some nice vocal textures are brought out on “Tryin” with a Hillis guitar solo in the middle of the song. “Building Me Up” has more good musicianship but the hooks here are lacking til we get to the heavier guitar sound on “Every Little Thing.” As a light pop record, it succeeds but the addition of three acoustic guitar songs here makes the whole thing even lighter and less memorable. These songs are even more confessional, to the point where on “One More Try” I’m thinking… Okay Tim, I get it. You are a sensitive soul spilling it for your significant other. While it makes for an intimate live performance — you lose some of that feeling on CD. With repeated listens it does compare well with the guitar pop of The Rembrandts, and if you like that style go for it.
My Space | CD Baby