When you write down your thoughts or dreams you don't worry too much about editing. That comes later, if at all. Writing songs or short stories requires a different discipline. It's what you leave out as much as what you include that is the source of their power and vividness.
I say all this because to my ear the songs of Tim Manning (aka Blind River Scare) would benefit from some creative trimming. The six songs on this short LP (or long EP!) are overly wordy affairs that have the quality of modern folk songs lifted verbatim out of the singer's diary entries.
The subjects are individuals who are restless, confused, ill treated or just plain lonely. The title song suggests that most, if not all, of these tunes emanate from Manning's own preoccupations. "Too much time spent on my own with a darkness surrounding me", he sings as though issuing a note to self to the effect that this way madness lies.
Close To Home is a story song of three strange late night encounters while driving home - a barefoot girl in a nightdress, an old lady and a drunk. His response to the old lady is as follows: "I made my shirt into a pillow. Turned on my hazard warnings. Made a call and waited for sirens in the night".
The problem I have with such lyrics is that the mix of factual detail (the hazard warning lights) with the more poetic imagery (sirens in the night) feels awkward and creates needless distractions.
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But Still You Stay is equally burdened by technicalities when about dealing someone who has suffered abuse. For instance we have the lines "I offer to intervene, contact the powers that be. They'll give you protection, a safe house and anonymity". Accurate this may be but catchy, it ain't!
At the same time, attempts at more overtly poetic imagery tends to fall flat. Sideways Slide equates being smitten by a young woman on a lonely railway platform with the none too pretty image of being hooked like a fish on a hook.
There is some spare backing from upright bass and Hammond organ, but otherwise these are the thoughts and reflections of just one man and his guitar as he searches for connections and directions.
The lack of pretentiousness is a strength but in my view the songs need to be far more streamlined and punchier if he wants to draw some universal truisms from his personal experiences.
Blind River Scare's website
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