Timothy Cameron: Press

Timothy Cameron's seven track mini-album is bristling with the bile and invective of Billy Bragg's early albums. Add to that the intensity of the Clash and puns from the school of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine and you have a very entertaining ride indeed. It's full of your basic folk punk tunes, but they merely serve as a vehicle for the spirit of the album and it's lyrical concerns. The lyrics take pot shots at all the seedy aspects of mainstream society and leave them severely wounded.

The stand out tracks are the opening 'Bread and Circuses' which perfects Bragg's hollow guitar sound, but couples it with a softer voice thereby making the song's message more accessible without losing it's cutting edge and also 'The Place I Leave Behind' which is a Green Day style slowie with added harmonica. All in all a fine little album indeed.

Timothy Cameron plays what has become known as folk punk. Essentially that entails unplugged guitars, no bass or drums, and a great story written into each tune. Timothy Cameron fits this definition extremely well...this is really great stuff. The opening track "Bread & Circuses" has to be my favorite, with its comparative narration of the way society has strayed from the paths of what truly is important, rather than what's hot at the time.

"...I usually can't stand the person with the acoustic that is always found around frat parties and coffee shops, but Timothy is able to keep some perspective in his music, something that I can really get into... The guitar lines and minor accompaniment are just a little added benefit – a little sugar to help the medicine go down...What is impressive about Cameron's work on this disc is that most of the tracks on "Sulphur Lining", according to the liner notes, were captured in "one or two takes". Everything sounds so lush, even if the amount of instruments used can be counted (nearly) on thumbs, and to be so confident in one's music and talented with one's hand says a lot for the individual behind the disc... Hints of Warren Zevon can be heard at times, with some of the same wit that the late singer-songwriter was so successful with. Take lyrics from a track like "Bread & Circuses" – 'Now Gretzky's bigger than Jesus Christ, In our complacent little paradise'...Timothy is well on his way to becoming one of the better purveyors of this protest tradition..."

Timothy Cameron's CD, Never Mind the Hyperbolics, has been carefully crafted to stimulate your sense of good-humour. If you don't smile while you're listening to this CD, you're probably a jerk. Behaviour experts could probably save themselves time and effort by just playing this album for their study subjects to determine if they're saps.
Timothy applies a modern take on popular musical idioms of the 60's & 70's to establish a familiar base upon which to heap his unique brand of ingenuity and wit. Don't mistake this for a novelty record; the tunes are well played - a great compliment to Timothy seeing that he played all the instruments, (presumably, not at the same time). He's decided not to hide his effort behind heavy drums, which I think would have clouded the sincerity of this recording, consisting primarily of the man and his guitar.
The highlights on this album are the more comedic numbers You're Someone Else's Problem Now and She Dates Creeps. The sentiments in his song American Dream are likened not to an idealistic model of virtue, but rather more correctly, an affliction of delusion. Splendidly done!
Similar offerings of astute observation decorate this recital by the wayward Timothy Cameron. This CD is just so playful and honest... you've really got to have this thing.
Don't be a jerk.

Timothy Cameron is the perfect package. Catchy minimalist punk guitar riffs, intelligent lyrics and a good sense of humour make up this singer/songwriter. Cameron clearly puts a lot of stock in having his tongue planted firmly in his cheek... What also earns him points is how he keeps his songs short, sweet and to the point, much like the punk he lists as an influence.