ANDY TIMMONS – Electric Truth (2022)
Electric guitar extraordinaire ANDY TIMMONS is about to release a new, Josh Smith-produced album titled ”Electric Truth”. When Smith invited Andy to his recording studio, Timmons jumped at the chance to make a new album outside of his comfort zone. He really loved the bands Smith puts together so they decided that Timmons would just come out to L.A. as the ‘artist,’ and Smith would produce and put the studio band together.
Of course the session musicians are top notch, and this benefited Timmons to record of the best albums from his career. He of course delighted us in the past as guitarist / songwriter for Danger Danger, and since went solo his musical path turned more classic rock oriented.
Well, ”Electric Truth” should be Timmons most catchiest album with a funky/earthy feel to it and plenty of melody. And it certainly rocks as well.
Timmons is a player’s player who has decades of meaningful success in the music business. He began life in the late-80s glam rock band Danger Danger, touring the world, selling a million albums, and having two Number One videos on MTV, back when that meant something.
He left DD to become a solo artist and also spent many years as Olivia Newton-John’s musical director and guitarist. He has done recording sessions with the likes of Kip Winger, Paula Abdul, Paul Stanley, and Simon Phillips, and played live with other guitar heroes including Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Morse, Mike Stern, Ace Frehley, Ted Nugent, and Pierre Bensusan.
Timmons has also contributed to uncounted jingles and commercials and became a valued and sought-after clinician for Ibanez Guitars. He’s among the finest contemporary musicians on any instrument and a new Timmons record is always worth celebrating.
Producer Josh Smith brought Andy into his private California studio with a hot-handed tracking band consisting of drummer Lemar Carter (Joss Stone, Raphael Saadiq), bassist Travis Carlton (Larry Carlton, Robben Ford), keyboardist Deron Johnson (Miles Davis, Stanley Clarke, Seal), and vocalist Corry Pertile.
Smith, himself, even jumped in on one cut. As you might expect, this muscled-up crew put the heat down live when the red light came on and it’s beyond a treat to listen to it all happen.
Timmons goes hard from the jump on Electric Truth, kicking it off with the slippery, double-stop funk intro riff of the first cut “EWF.” He plays it greasier than a cheap chicken sandwich before leading the tune into a smooth and memorable head section. The band behind him grooves with a profound grace few groups ever achieve and provides Timmons with the support he needs to build the arrangement into a kinetic showcase. “EWF” was originally inspired by renowned guitarist Al McKay of Earth, Wind and Fire but Timmons takes the song well into his own territory.
“Apocryphal” is a soaring, melodic rock song that displays Timmons’ knack for phrasing and developing ideas without resorting to flailing torrents of notes. He keeps every line he plays in the pocket here and creates an unbreakable vibe full of the best kind of tension. His tone is sweet and full and his often-overlooked rhythm guitar skills do much to lock the track down. Don’t let the tight ending catch you by surprise.
The ballad “When Words Fail” exhibits Timmons’ more delicate and soulful side, which is just as cool as his louder material. His clean tone is to die for, as are his licks. By the time he has built up the song’s intensity and starts ripping, you’ll have your hands in the air swaying back and forth. His emotions on this one are overwhelming and will carry you miles away from where you are right now.
”Electric Truth” is packed full of highlights and exceptional performances. Cuts like “Shuggie” and “One Last Time” make the back half of the record just as compelling as its start and prove there’s no limit to Timmons’ compositional vision.
Andy Timmons is a gigantic talent who becomes more impressive with each new release. Wrap your ears around these tracks and see for yourself.
Highly Recommended
01 – E.W.F.
02 – Apocryphal
03 – Johnnie T. (feat. Josh Smith)
04 – When Words Fail…
05 – Say What You Want
06 – Grace
07 – Shuggie
08 – One Last Time
09 – Take Me With You
Andy Timmons – guitars
Lemar Carter – drums
Travis Carlton – bass guitar
Deron Johnson – keys
Corry Pertile – vocals
Pre order:
store.andytimmons.com/collections/compact-disc/products/andy-timmons-electric-truth-signed-cd-pre-order
