22. February 2025
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Media Review

Timesbold – Not Still Here

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Timesbold - Not Still Here

Timesbold - Not Still Here
4.5

Rating

 4.5/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Beautiful storytelling
  • Nice range of folk songs

Timesbold is not really a band, but rather an on-and-off project by a folk musician from Brooklyn, who is nowadays living in Portland. Not Still Here is its first release since roughly 15 years. I received the album before the publication date as of 17th March 2023 and felt to share it with you.

 

Timesbold – About The Artists

Timesbold is a project by the American folk musician Jason Meritt. Merritt is also known as Whip.Under the project name Timesbold, he is periodically gathering musicians from several places all over the globe. However, the last album release Ill Seen Ill Sung is dated as of 2008. There have been a few single releases since then, though. It is the third album overall. Not Still Here is also the first album published by another record label.

 

Timesbold – Not Still Here – Track by Track

The 14 song album lasts 38 minutes.

1. Stuck In A Wind

The album opens with the slow, but charismatic Stuck In A Wind. The five minute tracks allows itself an almost two minute intro part, before the guitars play a major role. The vibes of the song are nicely lead by the instruments.

2. Don’t Want To Live

The second song is following a similar plot. Don’t Want To Live starts with a slower pattern, almost just driven by acoustic guitar elements and the vocals by Jason Maritt. Later, there are some more intense and wider instrumented sections. Another song which is nicely focusing on telling its story.

3. Holiday

Holiday is the first song of the album, at which the drums have a certain presence. The song feels small, a bit like dream-pop and works with a lot of atmosphere.

4. A Face Like This

A Face Like This is just a 2:22 minute song, which introduces country music elements as well as sounds like the musical saw. Definitely a nice addition to the songs before

5. Slaughterhouse

Baby, you know, I am slaughterhouse – you, you’re my litle lamb. Timesbold knows how to develop very metaphoric language. Songs with verses like these make me listen to the lyrics with a high level of fascination. The longer Slaughterhouse lasts, the more it develops to a folk music pearl.

6. What A Fool Am I

Maritt went for this song as a single release. Indeed, the nice blending of country and folk elements turns What A Fool Am I to one of the best (and easiest) listens of the album. Good one.

7. Constant State Of Goodbye

The seventh song starts with whistling. Overall, the mood of the song is rather dramatic. Thus, it strongly reminds me strongly of the Once upon a Time in the West movie. Cool atmosphere.

8. Old Orleans

The atmosphere of this trip to Old Orleans also feels rather gloomy. I wish I was in Old Orleans – at least the stories told in this song feel like it could be worth the travel.

9. Time Lapse Skies

The album also lives from the contrast of rather epic and rather precise and short compositions. The Lapse Skies, for example, just exceeds a duration of two minutes.And that feels sufficient. Just because the story of the song is closed. Great, atmospheric listen which is also working with some synth sounds.

10. From Miles Below

The tenth song is called From Miles Below. Rather one of these slow storytellers you have a couple of in Not Still Here. They feel interesting and worth listening – and thus I enjoy this track as well.

11. You Are A Self

The song has a lovely country touch and a nice ease. I like its vibe, the banjo sound and the very present rhythm. A track, which is written to make you smile.

12. You Never Know Your Neighbor

Steel guitars and country vibes – but also rather bold electric guitar chord characterize this one. The closing of the track feels a bit too experimental to me, though.

13. I Cracked The Earth

The piano is the main instrument of I Cracked The Earth. However there are high chords and  the sound of the voice feels a bit more raspy than in other tracks. Thus, the song has a lot of interesting things, which need to be discovered.

14. Now I Lay

The chucker-out of the album is this lovely ballad. A lovely farewell track.

 

Timesbold – Not Still Here – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Timesbold – Not Still Here – My View

Not Still Here is definitely not an entertaining album, which makes you dance from the very first second. But it tells you great stories. And it does so in a beautiful manner. I absolutely enjoyed listening to it. If you like a bit of deeper and thoughtful folk music, this is an excellent choice.

 

Media Review – Folk Music Top Pick!s

Here are all my Media Reviews of folk music leading to a Top Pick! rating:

 

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