Casting Illumination on First Light
In his songs, as in his life, Tim Erskine strives to maintain a delicate balance between the technical and the primitive, the rational and the creative, and the manmade and the natural. What's surprising is that [+]Casting Illumination on First Light
In his songs, as in his life, Tim Erskine strives to maintain a delicate balance between the technical and the primitive, the rational and the creative, and the manmade and the natural. What's surprising is that he manages to make this balancing act appear effortless on his debut album, First Light.
The singer/composer/guitarist spent what he describes as "an inordinately long time" writing, arranging and recording this accomplished release. The effort shows. First Light is an impressive collection of original music distinguished by mature songwriting and tightly focused musicianship. As its title implies, many of the songs focus on themes of inspiration, wonder and human longing set against an astronomical backdrop.
Erskine began recording in the late 1980s, in the process teaching himself studio engineering and production, and refining his songwriting craft. As the project crystallized, he shaped songs from the ground up, recording guitars, piano and vocals in his home studio before traveling to Los Angeles to record the bass and drum tracks with renowned session musicians Gregg and Matt Bissonette. Erskine also made various stops at other studios along the way, including a memorable orchestral session at the Libby Gardner Music Hall on the campus of the University of Utah.
Yet in spite of the effort, or perhaps because of it, the compositions never sound forced or strained. Erskine's stellar ensemble, which includes jazz pianist and Emmy-winning composer Vince Frates and guitar virtuouso Mike Dowdle, manages to straddle the thin line between restraint and release, yielding just the right measure of each. Meanwhile, Erskine sings with a combination of grit and control. He also wrote every song, provided many of the arrangements, and produced the release.
Much like Boston's Tom Scholz, who studied engineering at MIT and worked as an engineer for Polaroid before breaking out with that popular '70s arena rock band, Erskine is a skilled technician who can describe the importance of microphone placement in capturing a rich, resonant acoustic-guitar sound. Yet Erskine describes songwriting as an organic process that combines equal parts of inspiration and perspiration.
"I have a two-fold appreciation of ae
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