I’ve proclaimed the acoustic and soft rock wonders of TIM PEPPER to you before. Back in 2008, maybe 2 years after i met him, as he was leaving South African shores with dreams of making it in Nashville (USA), he released the sweet and sad, Beautiful Frustration.
The title probably arose from several places. One theme would be love but at that stage he was in love and could not have known that he’d meet another woman whose pregnancy beckoned. Certainly, he’d given up his career in science for music, a love that had little chance of sustaining itself financially in the toddler temper tantrum that was the Durban music scene. He was also a strong christian. Although he never mentioned it, it seemed that his faith had realized that it never had to be so rigid. He was wanting more. However, what we want and where we are are often in conflict. In the opening number, Tim encapsulates it all with the line, “Connected with my destiny, all alone.”
Above may explain the “frustration”. Songs such as ‘Life’, ‘Saddest Place I’ve Ever Been’, ‘Yesterday’ and ‘Are You Coming?’ certainly express it. The polar opposite can be found in the summery ‘Yellow Dress Girl’ and comforting ‘Holding On’. But the best moment is found in between where challenge is acknowledged with a fight. ‘Something Inside Me’ is glorious. Rhythmically and lyrically, it belongs on the charts and in the hearts of many. ‘Close My Eyes’ is thematically the same, also catchy but poppier. The bluesy ‘Eagles Wings’ seeks to fly above his troubles. ‘Bye Bye’, the final track, is a full band affair, a vigorous send off as he tries to leave the past (and us) behind in search of dreams in America.
It’s 2012, 4 years since Beautiful Frustration debuted. TIM PEPPER’s still not famous but when music’s this good, soulful and intelligent, i have to take a cue from him and hang on to hope.
Best tracks: ‘Something Inside Me’ & ‘Life’.
Download tons of free music at www.timpeppermusic.com.
RELATED ARTICLES YOU WILL ENJOY:
- Tim Pepper – Free Soft Rock Downloads
- Tim Pepper – Hotel EP (review)
- The Tim Pepper Interview
- The Music Videos of Tim Pope
Thanks Mike…I love this! You always seem to know how to pick me up off the ground (both literally and figuratively). Been sort of backed up into the wall as of late between Google+, Microsoft and WordPress and the whole corporate holy pole-ly, hoe cuss, poke us just because we have more testosterone monopoly the powers consider utopia. That is, I have my sync full of shit again and my tub still doesn't have any caulk around the edges…lol. Thankfully no dishes to wash till tomorrow. Hope to catch up with you again sooner or later on the other thing, we turtles and pokeymons run fast but our drivers are slow. Back to school to negotiate (or just say the hell with the political dickering) soon…maybe tommorrow And, if I get down south, (physically and not just in my imagination)…I will definitely be sure to check this guy out. So tell me again…what is wrong with being wicked? I was having so much fun I forgot…lol. Oh yea, and if you run into Rhonda Rainbow….send her a hug from me and tell her I think of her every time it rains or I have flood of emotion here, which is quite frequently.
Glad that you do! Truly worthwhile for you to download the lot (and more on his website). Beautiful, beautiful music.
As for life, it picks us up and tosses us around like linen in a tumbledrier. At least you're alive. As for Rhonda, i don't know what happened to that lovely lady. Haven't heard from her this year. Hoping that she's ok!
Raining here too.