Tim Bluhm

Editor's Review:

Hufa Records has been trying to make a name for itself as the point of entry for young local bands into the recording world, and even produced a vinyl disc last February for youngsters Micromagnesia and (now-defunct) Either. Thus it seems a little odd that the label would release a record from a musician as relatively seasoned as Tim Bluhm, but fans are nevertheless going to be the happier for it. The project has Bluhm's fingerprints all over it-he wrote all but two of the songs, produced the album and mixed it with the help of Dean Kattari. Every detail of this, the Mother Hips singer/songwriter/guitarist's first solo release, seems to reflect Bluhm's artistic vision.

The cover art pictures a small clipper at sea, tossed about in a tempest. The reverse shows a sturdy sailor in storm gear, cupping his hand to yell-something-in the face of the gale, while the foldout reveals a picture of Bluhm himself at the helm of a ship on a sunny day, gazing placidly over the ocean's expanse. In a like fashion, the songs reveal moments of serene bliss as well as impending catastrophe, though in the end they seemed much more complex than simply that.

"Girl Crazy," perhaps the disc's most upbeat song, recalls the giddy passion of meeting a new lover with its pulsating, psychedelic verses and climax of harmony at the chorus. Many of the other songs made me feel edgier and introspective: "This Way You Fly," the opening tune, is tuneful and moody; the initial beeps and thumps sound like ship hulls bumping and depth sounding undersea, creating a huge space within which interesting synth noises float around a gloomy chord progression. The song that most tenaciously grabbed my ear was "The Nelson Touch," a beautiful fusion of country and pop with a really catchy chorus, a surprising structure and provocative lyrics. Bluhm has a feel for writing a good folk song too, and it shows on the lullaby-like "Eucalyptus Wood."

Throughout the dozen tracks, Bluhm incorporates guest musicians ranging from the Muses' Greg Olin (who gets authorial credit on two tracks) to Mother Hips bassist Isaac Parsons, to Chico musician Nate Pendery. Unfortunately, the liner notes do not credit the musicians by track or identify their instruments, which makes it practically impossible to determine who played what (they do feature handwritten lyrics for some of the songs, which, incidentally, are often sung differently than they are written). In any case, the instruments are all used sparingly, to great effect.

With this album Tim Bluhm has demonstrated convincingly his ability to put together a successful solo project. The synthesis of musical styles is innovative, the tunes are by turns heartbreakingly hopeless, broodingly introspective and sugar-sweet. Land and Sea Chanteys will be greatly appreciated by Mother Hips fans; what's more, it is a beautiful and intriguing musical project whose careful production, references to American literary works and musical roots in folk, country and pop produce a sound that many others may enjoy, as well.

- Matt Meyer


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Record Label Hufa Records Released April 2000

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