TIM HOLEHOUSE – Come (Aaahh!!! Real Records)

ComeTim Holehouse releases Come on November 15th. The album is his eleventh release but is a move to a more folky/country style after earlier incarnations, by all accounts, as a blues and metal musician.

The CD is a promo copy and has arrived without any background material, so I don’t have details of the band that’s playing with Holehouse. However, it’s worth noting the impact of the band as they give the album a full sound – more up tempo on tracks like ‘Placid Lake’ and ’24 Hours (Come)’, quieter but still adding depth to ‘Prince of the Palace’ or ‘Aveiro’. If it helps place the style of this album, I’ve read of the influence of Bonnie Prince Billy and I can hear why the link has been made.

At the heart of the album, though, is not the band but Holehouse himself – some clean guitar playing and a spoken singing style. The video below gives you a sense of this on ‘Sleep’ but you could also try the opening track ‘The Numbers Game’.

You have to fight your way into this album – there’s no sleeve notes, you look on Holehouse’s website to see where he’s playing and there are venues but not the name of the town/city, the spoken style of singing isn’t to everyone’s taste (I’ve tested the album on others) – and yet…….there’s something I like about it. Years ago, I had a conversation about something being “a midnight album” i.e. something at its best when played approaching or after midnight. Come feels like it might be one of those.

I’m left with the feel of an album which is a little uneven – but it feels as though it’s an album which captures the spirit of something written and played from the heart, and that should never be undervalued. Give it a listen.

Holehouse is on tour from November 9th – 22nd, venues are on his website.

Mike Wistow

Artist’s website: https://timholehouse.com

‘Sleep’ – official video: