Tim Cheesebrow - Somebody, Somewhere

Tim Cheesebrow

​Somebody, Somewhere
self-released; 2017

3.7 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

Tim Cheesebrow is a musician from Minnesota who is no novice. He has been performing music for twenty years, earned  a degree in composition and released five albums with his latest being Somebody, Somewhere. His music on Somebody, Somewhere hits upon a rock/country/Americana vibe for the most part.

​I’ll say up front there's a lot to enjoy here. The songwriting is top notch, there is a good flow to the album and I really liked his voice. My one issue was a lot of the songs were predictable and familiar sounding. I wanted some more experimentation and surprises that would define a signature sound.

​Perhaps the best example of this is the opener “Anything Can Happen” which goes straight down the center line of country/pop/rock. It is catchy, instantly familiar sounding and something that could get FM radio play.

I preferred some of the other tracks such as “Empty Pack” which is a warm, emotionally resonant performance. His vocals sound exceptional here and was the song that really caught my attention. “Long Way Around” was another standout track. It's subdued and really fits his vocals. He gets into more of country/pop territory with the ballad “Don’t Want to Love You Alone” which features female accompaniment.

By the time I got to song seven and I realized I was only halfway through the album. It’s arguable but I think the album would have been a little more impactful with a shorter track count. I would have been fine with ten to eleven songs.

As the album progresses there were some highlights as well as some deviations. The two that stuck out to me were ”Little Town” which was a stripped back acoustic song. I really enjoyed “Black Powder Serenede” but it had a distinctly different flavor. I wouldn't even call this country. It’s has a gypsy, waltz quality to that I could picture in a Quentin Tarantino movie.

Somebody, Somewhere felt far from perfect to me but there is plenty to appreciate here.  Cheesebrow certainly has a lot of talent in multiple areas and I look forward to hearing more. Recommended.

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