:: Timothy Carroll - For Bread & Circuses

Timothy Carroll

This is one album I wish I had in my collection last summer because this is the kind of album you like to have playing while you lay back on a hammock on your patio on a hot summer’s night. Carroll’s amazing song writing skills and smooth vocals allow you to drift away and take you on journeys of the mind. They aren’t joking when they describe Timothy Carroll as one of Brisbane’s best-kept-secrets, his debut album ‘Bread & Circuses’ is spectacular. Each song on this album tells a story, a story that only the mind and skills of a truly talented musician can create. ‘Dansshyttan’ shows just how great this album is going to be. It’s great folky sound mixed with strings and lyrics that drips with Australiana to make it a classic, then Carroll’s song-writing genius takes over on ‘Under The Blackwoods’ and we are left with a sweet sounding song that Nick Cave would be proud of. Carroll’s duet with Kate Jacobson, ‘Something Else’ sounds elegantly sweet as does the smooth acoustic stylings of ‘Seems To Me’. And if its harmonies that you love then you find any as beautiful as the ones found on ‘Song For The Darling’ and ‘Forgotten Tongues’. One of the things that makes this album standout from a lot of the music around these days is that Carroll’s ability makes every track here a winner. The slow paced ‘Sad Man’ consists of a wonderful strings section as well as some amazing vocals by Corinna Scanlon. Carroll’s amazing vocals are then out for all to hear on the piano driven ‘To Frozen Lakes’. But its tracks like ‘Alicia’s Song’ and ‘When I Go Deaf* (LOW)’ that I fell in love with straight away… these are best described as songs of summer. ‘For Bread & Circuses’ is a beautiful album that comes from one of the most talented artists Australia has produced in a long time.