Timber Timbre is mostly a one-man business, operating like a dusty
roadside stand in a Jim Jarmusch film. Taylor Kirk has a haunting voice
as beautiful as Royal Wood’s, touched with Slim Twig’s rockabilly
quirkiness. Each of the eight songs, kicking off with “Demon Host,” is
stark, controlled by Kirk’s carefully enunciated words and a low-riding
percussive beat that could also serve for hypnotism purposes. “Until
the Night is Over” revives that house from New Orleans. Exceptional
closer “No Bold Villain” rides off into the sunset on Mika Posen’s
(Forest City Lovers) string arrangements. An early favourite for best
Canadian indie album of the year.
This article appears in Jan 15-21, 2009.