October 20, 2009 marks the release of Careful Love, the new album from Brooklyn-based troubadour, Tim Williams. Following up 2007's acclaimed coffeehouse gem, When Work Is Done, Williams has now hung up his acoustic guitar and has returned with his most assertive recording to date, reinventing himself in band form and unshackling himself from the singer-songwriter stigma. Careful Love is a confirmation of Williams' new outlook on life, musical maturity, and poise.

Tim Williams had a change of heart--literally. In May 2008, Williams underwent intensive open-heart surgery that left him bedridden in recovery throughout most of the fall. Once out of the hospital, Williams immediately began writing/rehearsing new material, and joining him this time were keyboardist Misty Boyce and guitarist Matt Welsh (of Phonograph). Williams also had courage to try new things, like going to Los Angeles for the first time in his life. He explains Having lived in Brooklyn for such a long time, I was programmed to hate the sun-soaked city. Instead, he loved California. He also met someone amazing and fell in love.

For the first time in his life, Williams had some serious life experiences to write about. The musical upturn on Careful Love reflects this. The up-tempo track I Hit Another Wall is a perfect example, as Williams explains, I wrote the song as a reminder of how lucky I was to make it through. It was physically the most painful experience of my life.


Gritty guitars, saw tooth waves and lush harmonies lay down the perfect foundation for Williams' breathy croon. Oceans with its lush and dreamy swirls of descending delayed guitars surprises fans and illustrates how far Williams has come from his quieter beginnings. The dark, beat-driven Ozone Street and the twangy All In move around and intertwine with the three-part harmonies of Murderous Air.

The tone of the record is upbeat, an obvious testament to Williams' ability to take an undaunted approach to the past year of his life.

Careful Love was recorded at The Light Garden studios in Los Angeles (owned by Shana Levy of Let's Go Sailing) with engineer Dave Lynch. Williams also spent hours discussing musical ideas with Aaron Espinoza (Earlimart). Additional tracking was completed at The Ship in Eagle Rock, CA, and at Studio B and Mission Sound Studios in Brooklyn, NY. Mixing was done in the UK by Dave Lynch.

Careful Love
Dovecote
10.20.2009

When Work Is Done
Dovecote
3.25.2008

Tales of Digression
Dovecote
2.8.2005

Tim Williams is a different sort of fellow then last we heard him on his '07 release When Work is Done. On that record, Tim was a man - a bearded man at that - strumming an acoustic guitar, singing the kind of warm, glowing pop tunes men of his facial flock tend to do so well. His soon to be released follow-up Careful Love (Dovecote), however, is a different sort of collection; one where Williams sets aside his trusted sidekick in favor of a stack of amps, a vat of electrical currents, and a band of his very own. Yes, he's still a bearded man, but this here Mr. Williams is a different sort of fellow. Naturally, we instructed "the band" Tim Williams to dress down, musically speaking, when they visited The Guest Apartment. Admits Williams, "I guess we haven't gotten that far away from it (the acoustic guitar, that is)".

In this segment, Tim, flanked by musicians Matt Welsh and Misty Boyce, previews four songs from the upcoming Careful Love LP. Presented here, the session allows one to imagine Tim alone, inspired by new places (he moved to Nashville and recorded in LA for the first time) and trying moments in life (much of these songs were penned while recuperating from heart surgery), laying out a set of his most personal songs to date. For their part, Welsh and Boyce provide flesh and blood to Tim's skeletal frame work, coating the arrangements in intertwining acoustic meanderings, pocket glockenspiel, fits of melodica, and most notably, warm, three part harmonies that truly set Tim's songs ablaze. Here, lies a stunning demonstration of the dance between song and human emotion. Prepare to be delighted. - David Pitz

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