Tim Knol - Lightyears Better (2022)

Dutch singer-songwriter Tim Knol already had a lot of music and countless performances to his name, solo and with garage rock outfit The Miseries and with Blue Grass Boogiemen, and also presents himself as a photographer, record label owner and expert of American roots music. That busy life (or actually the unhealthy lifestyle that often goes along with it) took its toll. He changed course, and look where that leads: the fresh and improved version of Tim Knol, fitter and happier than ever, rises above himself on a new LP with the telling title Lightyears Better. It’s an artisanal americana album about change (you could even file it under the self-help section), with 13 clear-sounding songs approaching perfection (the successful single Wandering Heart from late last year, which we thought was the prelude to this record, is missing). Highlights next to the title track are You Don’t Wanna Miss The Show (it could have been a Tom Petty track, with Bruce Springsteen on harmonica) and Love Lines (a wonderfully waltzing tune, with singing pedal steel and great lyrics), but actually there are no weak moments here. On each of the recordings you can hear how much fun the musician has playing them, and rightly so.