Tim Blane

Artist Information

Biography

Tim Blane’s new album was almost cancelled due to weather.

In February 2010, Tim and his band sat, shivering, in a Virginia recording studio. After two days with no electricity, heat, or running water, they wondered aloud if they should cut their losses and make the 14-hour trip back to Boston. Producer Chris Keup entered the room, informing them that the 30 inches of snow on the ground meant they weren’t going anywhere. He stated simply…
“You can’t go back.”

Now, after a year of trips back to Virginia and recording sessions in Tim’s apartment, the album is finally ready. It seems that Mother Nature wasn’t actually against Tim releasing a new album. She was just gonna make him work hard for it. And the title, “You Can’t Go Back” serves as a reminder that this collection of acoustic pop songs almost didn’t see the light of day.

On the one hand, Blane’s career has followed the traditional singer/songwriter path. Since 2006, he’s played clubs and colleges throughout the US, slowly building a grass roots fan base. Along the way he has shared the stage with acts like the Goo Goo Dolls, Cake, OneRepublic, KT Tunstall, Fabolous and Sister Hazel. He’s garnered accolades like a Boston Music Award nomination, 2 finals appearances in the Starbucks Songwriting Competition, and 14 different Ourstage.com wins. Additionally, CAA’s 2009 “Cassandra Report” named him (along with acts like Lady Gaga) an artist to watch.

Yet on the other hand, Tim has taken some very unusual paths. Since 2009, he has been seen in millions of homes teaching guitar and piano lessons as the teacher in Apple’s “Garageband” program. He was also hired in 2007 to write custom ringtones for Pepsi. And this past summer he made worldwide press for performing at a Presidential wedding.

Now with the May 2011, release of “You Can’t Go Back,” Tim hopes that this album full of catchy acoustic pop tunes will appeal to his fans old and new, as he hits the road to support it.

And he bought a set of snow tires just to be safe.

Instrumentation

Tim Blane- Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Vocals
James Williams- Drums
Reuben Cainer- Bass
Paul Wolstencroft- Keys
Adam Tressler- Guitar
James Casey- Saxaphone
Matt Owens- Trumpet
Derrick White- Trombone

Discography

In The Meantime, 2005 Full Length
Clockwork, 2007 Full length
Trace, 2009 EP
You Can't Go Back, 2011 Full Length

Official Website

http://www.timblane.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• Last.fm

Audio

• Magnetic
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• No Vacation
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• Lay It All On Me
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• Love You Now
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• Take 2 or 3
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Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• First Clockwork Review [+ Show ]
  

  If you want to you can go back to a blog I wrote 15 months ago which went on for quite a bit about h...If you want to you can go back to a blog I wrote 15 months ago which went on for quite a bit about how talented Tim Blane is and how much potential I was sure he had. Cutting to the chase, I ended that blog with this:
  
  He's got talent. He's got a very listenable bunch of material, and I would love for every one who reads this to go to iTunes and download. But listenable is different than marketable. There is only one "marketable" song I am hearing so far. This is where the watching and waiting stage comes in. I KNOW this guy has tremendous potential....In the meantime, I'll keep an eye on him.
  
  Which I have. Every time he put up a new song on MySpace...I was there...listening. And you know what?..... I WAS RIGHT. Tim grew into his potential BIG TIME over the past year, and it is a really wonderful thing to behold. He has taken what works really well for him and built on it. I really liked his last CD, In The Meantime, and he has every reason to be proud of that as a debut CD. Now, with the release of his sophomore disc, Clockwork, he is really ready for the attention that I KNOW will be coming his way.
  
  Clockwork is jam packed, track after track with tight, hookey, melodic, clever songs that are radio ready. The obvious 'hit' on this one is "Me Being Me", but I think there are follow ups here that are just as strong with "So Life", "Undone" and "Tennessee" which is a lot of fun and my personal favorite. Then...when you think the CD can't get any better..... you run into track #10 "Half of it" which is the sleeper track - you might not pick it as an obvious hit....but it should be - with really great lyrics like:
  
  The mind tricks, the eyes fool the ears play along / When You're asking for fixes for everything that's wrong /Persistence is worth it but listen as well/ Cause you can't hear back if you're only inclined to yell
  
  With material like this I can honestly put him up against the sophomore efforts of artists like David Mead and Josh Kelley and this will hold up with the best of them - I think Tim is just hitting his stride. I think people are going to really start to take notice. I am quite sure he's got a long, amazing career ahead of him and I am very much looking forward to every step.
  
  Now before you go saying I'm looking at this whole thing with rose colored glasses....I will make one very brief negative observation - But NOT about the CD -In fact, at this point I should give a big shout out to Chris Keup and Stewart Myers (producers) AND I would like to suggest that Tim bring Stewart Myers (who also engineered and mixed) on tour with him, because I have yet to hear the Tim from the CDs in a live setting. I'm going to blame the sound systems particularly at the last place I saw him - 'cause I know he's got the voice and the chops on both guitar and piano - but it just was not coming across. The mix was all wrong and that just pisses me off. I had to get ahold of the CD before I could figure out what the words to that really cool regaee style song were.....
  
  So on that note, I suggest you ALL go get the CD and you can hear it all...the words, the music, the hooks, the Tim Blane I knew was in there waiting to break out!

• Metronome- Clockwork Review [+ Show ]
  

  Fans of Lyle Lovett's funky, big band sounds, Dave Matthews' stuttering rhythms and James Tayor's he...Fans of Lyle Lovett's funky, big band sounds, Dave Matthews' stuttering rhythms and James Tayor's heartfelt sentiments will love Tim Blane's new album Clockwork. Filled with lush instrumentalism, becautifully clever prose, groove-heavy meters, and songs that make the heart remember, singer-guitarist-pianist Tim Blane and band mates Adam Olenn, James Williams and Steve Mossberg have created a masterful body of work with Clockwork.
  
  Songs like the Lovett influenced title track, "Clockwork," the train tempo of "Tennessee," the Taylor inspired "Lullaby for Later" and the Matthews shake of "Tune In and "Just the Way" find Blane enlisting the imprints of some of the industry's best and making a sound all his own. If Tim Blane and company come to a watering hole near you, make sure to check him out. You won't be dissappointed.

• Tim Blane’s Clockwork Really Ticks [+ Show ]
  

  I’ve had the pleasure to spin indie singer-songwriter Tim Blane’s new record Clockwork, and I’ve got...I’ve had the pleasure to spin indie singer-songwriter Tim Blane’s new record Clockwork, and I’ve got to say it’s quite a good collection of songs.
  
  Blane has a soulful, jazzy vibe that hit’s all the better with his sweet, deep pleasant voice. Think Jason Mraz meets John Mayer meets sincerity.
  
  Highlights include title track “Clockwork,” the jaunty “Me Being Me,” and the stellar “Once and Future King.”
  
  If you’re looking for the next coffeehouse sensation, Tim Blane would definitely be a great place to start. You can pick Clockwork up over at Awarestore now, and check some tunes out at Blane’s MySpace.

• Clockwork Review [+ Show ]
  

  Score: 9.5 (of 10) Clockwork is the sophomore release by Boston musician Tim Blane. Blane’s lat...Score: 9.5 (of 10)
  
  Clockwork is the sophomore release by Boston musician Tim Blane. Blane’s latest release was produced by Chris Keup and Stewart Myers (Jason Mraz, OAR, Mandy Moore), and includes work by session musicians John D’Earth (Miles Davis, Dave Matthews Band) and Mark Goldenberg (Rolling Stones, Brian Wilson.) In 2005 Blane released his first album, titled In The Meantime.
  
  The music on Clockwork has a great overall sound to it. These songs have a bit of a Dave Matthews Band feel to them, but only because that is the only mainstream band that Tim Blane can be easily compared to. Blane’s music is a catchy blend of pop, rock, and jazz. The songs show good range, moving from mellow ballads (“Tennessee” and “Undone”) to more up-tempo pop-rockers (“Me Being Me.”) These songs are original, well played, and catchy.
  
  Vocally Clockwork is brimming with great performances. Blane’s lead vocals are soulful and mellow in a way that works on the more up-tempo tracks as well as the ballads. Clockwork also features some great harmonizing (“Undone”) and even all-to-brief gospel choir (“Clockwork.”) Lyrically sometimes Blane’s songs are a bit simple and repetitive, and they aren’t always original, but the songs are catchy.
  
  Overall: A great overall blend of genres, with superb vocals.

• George Graham- Clockwork Review [+ Show ]
  

  The Graham Weekly Album Review #1507 I think I have lost track of the number of Boston-area singe...The Graham Weekly Album Review #1507
  
  I think I have lost track of the number of Boston-area singer-songwriters I have featured on this album review series. But the number is substantial. The area certainly has a prolific folk scene, and the performers are very diverse. The abundance of colleges, including Berklee College of Music have made the Boston area a kind of mecca for the music. And this week, we have yet another talented singer-songwriter from the region who has a very worthwhile new CD release. Tim Blane, whose new recording is called Clockwork.
  
  Blane attended Berklee, and you can hear that in his musically sophisticated, vaguely jazzy tunes that nevertheless are full of catchy melodies, often funky beats and astute lyrics. He's got an appealing vocal style that owes as much to some soul singers as it does to folkies. His music is acoustic-guitar based, but often gets electric, and keyboards are a prominent part of the arrangements on the CD. In fact, the basic four-piece band is sometimes supplemented by a horn section and other guest musicians.
  
  Clockwork is Blane's second album. His debut, called In the Meantime did quite well for a very independent release, selling some 3000 copies. The new CD is being aimed at wider distribution and is being promoted nationally as well. Blane has also been attracting attention winning various regional music awards, and has been touring nationally, opening for artists like Guster, and KT Tunstall.
  
  The regular band on Clockwork is a quartet, with Daniel Clarke on keyboards, including such exotica as mellotron and chamberlain; Adam Olenn on bass; and James Williams on drums. They form a tight unit on the CD with the arrangements adjusted to suit the song, rather than its being a rock band who always all play.
  
  Most of Blane's songs relate to love in one way or another, but he usually puts a slightly different spin on the subject. Blane's songs don't examine the great issues of the day, and tend to be more clever than profound. But the sum of the music and words makes for appealing listening that doesn't flag on any of the tracks.
  
  The CD opens with one of those love songs with an interesting spin. The title track Clockwork starts out like a kind of Gospel a cappella song <<>> before the band makes its entrance continuing the influence. <<>>
  
  One of the tracks being promoted as a potential single, if one could speak of such a thing in this day and age, is Me Being Me. It's a little rockier and lyrically is also a variation of a love song. It's another good example of the high quality of writing that marks Blane's music. <<>>
  
  A bit more toward contemporary pop in sound is the song called Tennessee, which is apparently the name of the female protagonist in the lyrics. <<>>
  
  Blane and company go for a reggae beat on the song called So Life though the lyrics are, by contrast, more in the flowery Tin Pan Alley style. <<>>
  
  Blane's Berklee background shows a bit in the musical sophistication in some of the songs on the CD. Tune In is a good example with its tricky rhythm and interesting transitions. <<>>
  
  On the other hand, there is the track called Lullaby for Later a pretty song that I interpret as musing on the prospect of potential fatherhood sometime in the future. The title describes the musical style well. <<>>
  
  The horns make an appearance on the song called When I Dream which draws on a little Memphis style soul influence. It's another strong track. <<>>
  
  The CD closes with another of its highlights, Just the Way which encompasses a number the influences Blane brings to bear on the CD, including interesting composing and arranging along with worthwhile lyrics. <<>>
  
  Clockwork, the new second release by Boston-area singer-songwiter Tim Blane is another excellent example of the great music scene in the Boston area. He combines first-rate writing, both musically and lyrically, with a tight band to make music that is a bit more rocky than typical for a singer-songwriter but not hardly standard rock band fare. While Blane does not exactly break any new ground in the ingredients he uses for his music, he does come up with a very appealing mix of influences that in their confluence does represent a distinctive sound.
  
  For a sonic grade, we'll charitably give the recording a "B." The mix has good clarity and there is a pleasing absence of studio clutter and low-fi stuff that increasingly afflicts such records these days. Kudos to producers Chris Keup and Stewart Myers. But the recording is excessively compressed, squashing out the differences between loud and soft. Some of the tracks get a bit fatiguing to listen to with that kind of in-your-face, loud-all-the-time sound.
  
  There are many hundreds of them on already the scene, but I think there is always room for another good singer-songwriter. Tim Blane is very impressive on his new CD. He creates intelligent, catchy music that does not wear out its welcome with time. Here's hoping he receives the wider recognition he deserves.
  
  

• Clockwork Review [+ Show ]
  

  Tim Blane Clockwork www.timblane.com “Clockwork” is everything a radio friendly record should be...Tim Blane
  Clockwork
  www.timblane.com
  “Clockwork” is everything a radio friendly record should be – well executed, with simple, building melodies thickened by accompaniment. In the vein of fellow awkward pop champion Ben Folds, Tim Blane knows how to write a damn good song drenched in American flavor without letting it slip out of his control like too many Dave Matthew’s compositions. “Undone” is a wonderful song, laced with the college rock goodness of the late ‘90s, back when I would sit and ponder life (read: girls). Blane’s at his best when he explores slower tempos and treads the furthest from Matthew’s influence, but “Clockwork” is still an accomplished album despite its few flaws. — LGLP

• Northeast Performer Review [+ Show ]
  

  Tim Blane’s pop/rock solo debut starts off tightly produced and catchy, and slowly progresses to a j...Tim Blane’s pop/rock solo debut starts off tightly produced and catchy, and slowly progresses to a jazzier freeform feel. After a few tracks of straightforward radio-friendly fare, the former frontman of Boston indie rockers Invisible Downtown breaks out the trumpets and Wurlitzer.
  
  Blane, who clearly has a knack for melody, also establishes himself as a crafty wordsmith, best showcased on the title track, an irresistibly likable song about remaining upbeat although a relationship has turned sour. He declares “Finally have a sense of how you made a mess of / All my emotions / Needless to say / I won’t be sad in the meantime.” This is the kind of song that makes you want to roll down the windows, take down the top, and turn up the CD player.
  
  His emotion-laced voice sometimes exposes a hint of alt-country. His vocals are most powerful on the heartfelt piano-driven tunes “Drifting and Driving,” “Firecracker,” and “What Do We Do Know.” “Firecracker,” the best of the lot, finds Blane perfecting a certain whimsical melancholy feeling that is truly captivating. When he sings “Longing for the Fourth of July / Back when we were all alive,” there is sincerity in his voice. “Drifting and Driving” has the musician playing the role of hopeless romantic quite convincingly.
  
  Thankfully, Blane avoids the trap of trying so hard to create songs fit for the radio that the choruses become cliché-ridden. With the exception of the opener, “Fan of Your Eyes,” the singer/songwriter displays a talent for honest songwriting that’s also catchy. Overall, In The Meantime is a strong release that is chock full of tunes bound to stay in your head long after the music ends. (Provo-Spain Records)
  
  -David Ryan Polgar

• Insite Magazine Review [+ Show ]
  

  3 to Watch: Tim Blaine, Ben Miller, and Juliet Lloyd by Pat Keating patkeating@insiteboston.com ...3 to Watch:
  Tim Blaine, Ben Miller, and Juliet Lloyd
  by Pat Keating
  patkeating@insiteboston.com
  Tim Blane
  More than the Same
  
  Tim Blane (pictured, right), once a child prodigy on piano and violin, is now a mature singer-songwriter with a very mainstream sound.
  
  A close inspection of Blane's In the Meantime disc unearths a deeply talented musician and honest lyricist. His refreshing approach has won some notable fans and Blane has opened up for national standouts The Verve Pipe and The Push Stars. Chris Keup (Jason Mraz, Josh Kelley, Rachel Yamagata) served as producer and the disc was engineered by Stewart Myers (Shawn Colvin, Jason Mraz, Lifehouse, Agents of Good Roots.)
  
  “That Way” is the CD’s standout. It’s a mid-tempo radio ready love song with a groove that sticks in your head. On this song and most others, Blane may have a somewhat familiar sound, but he is no less a great songwriter than any mainstream popular artist today.
  
  If you are a fan a great lyrics and a groove that will get your money maker shaking, you’ve got to get down with Tim Blane!

• Melodic Mag. Review [+ Show ]
  

  The Boston-based singer songwriter Tim Blane’s album has been a favorite at the mighty AWARESTORE si...The Boston-based singer songwriter Tim Blane’s album has been a favorite at the mighty AWARESTORE since it was released. And I can understand why, cause this is a very good album, and musically we’re somewhere between the sound of Daniel Powter, Jason Mraz, Gavin DeGraw and Amos Lee. The opening “Fan Of Your Eyes” is one nice tunes, the ballad “Drifting And Driving” is a lovely piece that could have been on James Blunt’s latest album, and the softer ”Firecracker” where Tim is accompanied by an acoustic guitar, a single piano a his great voice is another really nice tune. And it is at these softer songs my heart beats a little faster. The “middle of the road” and uptempo tunes are not bad at all but they are tunes that get into one ear and out in the other without grabbing the attention to me. But overall a really good album that I can recommend all you suckers with the same taste as me. Go and listen now folks

• Singer's goals: Make music, help other's along the way [+ Show ]
  

  LYNN A Boston-based singer and songwriter is hoping a new CD will boost his career,but that doesn’...LYNN
  A Boston-based singer and songwriter is hoping a new CD will boost his career,but that doesn’t mean he has stopped thinking about others. Tim Blane is hosting a benefit to celebrate the release of his first CD on Wednesday, May 25,at 7 p.m.at the Green Tea Restaurant,751 Lynnway, Lynn,across from Walmart. There will be a cocktail hour (cash bar) and hors d’oeuvres at 7 p.m.and Blane will perform songs from his new CD,“In The Meantime.” There is no charge to attend, but Blane is seeking donations to benefit St.Boniface Hospital in Haiti. In lieu of cash,those attending are being asked to donate items such as Tylenol, Motrin,Advil,Robitussin, cold medicines,vitamins, baby formula (powdered with iron),and cortisone creams. Donation items will be transported via www.haitihealth.org and local volunteers. Blane’s music has been described as having the melodic flow of mainstream pop,the harmonic nuance of jazz,and the lyrical honesty of country. His sound brings to mind artists such as Jason Mraz, Ryan Adams,Peter Gabriel and Lyle Lovett. Blane has performed all over the East Coast,opening for national acts such as The Verve Pipe,The Push Stars, and Virginia Coalition. After graduating from Amherst College with degrees in music and psychology,he spent two years at the Berklee College of Music before leaving to start his career. For more information,go to his Web site www.timblane.com.

Setlist

General set time is 45 min to 1:15 hour.

Basic Requirements

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