TIM LAWSON

In 2004 Tim Lawson and his band released their 7th studio album enititled So Many Stories. Indeed. B.C.- based singer/songwriter Tim Lawson has plenty of his own to tell. The possessor of a keen and inquiring intellect, this well-travelled troubadour is also an eloquent teller of the stories of others. This ability has helped earn Tim a devoted audience in Canada and Europe, and it is shown once more on this superb fifth album.

"There is no shortage of stories around if you start talking to people," says Lawson. "It is just amazing, the stories they have. I'm lucky to be a person with a microphone, but so many other people have stories worth hearing." As Tim sings on the album's title track, "Painting with words, melodies like songs, So many stories, old and new."

His own story is a fascinating one. Lawson was a successful businessman and entrepreneur before deciding to pursue his lifelong passion, music. He had first picked up a guitar at age ten, after falling in love with the music of the Beatles, still a key inspiration. "When I returned to music, I was totally committed to trying to recapture that spark, that energy, I had felt when I was playing music years ago."

Lawson never tackles anything half-heartedly. The release of his debut CD, The Quiet Canadian, in 1997 signalled the arrival of a major new musical talent. Tim's highly literate yet always accessible songs were perfectly complemented by his warmingly mellow and melodic voice and the stellar musicianship of a band comprising some of British Columbia's very best players.

His sophomore 1999 release, The Right Way On, helped Lawson establish a following in Europe. And in 2000, Lest We Forget, a collection of songs around the theme of Remembrance, was designated to help raise money for The Royal Canadian Legion's Poppy Fund by donating five dollars from every sale.

2002 saw two new albums. Please No Talking demonstrated Lawson's continued growth as an artist, and elicited more rapturous reviews. Irish journalist Lee Mac wrote that "Lawson is a poet, songwriter, singer, a man with a message and the lyrics to make it happen." The Sunday World's Eddie Rowley praised "a passion that sweeps the listener along," and concert dates in Europe were received with equal fervour. Lest We Forget II continued the Remembrance theme with profits to the Royal Canadian Legion.

As mentioned, In 2004 Tim and the band released So Many Stories to much critical acclaim. The album has also helped to raise more than $50,000 for HIV/AIDS in Africa.

And now we have the much-anticipated new album, At A Loss For Words. The lyrical and musical strengths of his earlier work are both duplicated and built upon on this, his strongest work to date.

The sterling contributions of his musical comrades are recognized by this record bearing the name of 'The Tim Lawson Band.' "It's not about ego," explains Tim. "It's about credit where credit is due, and to recognize that Chip [keyboardist Richard Sera], Ray [Harvey, guitarist], and the other band members are integral to The Tim Lawson Band." The others are: guitarist Lee Smith, harmonica player Keith Bennett, drummer Ronnie Baran, and bassist John Dryden. They have all graced Tim's earlier records, and their musical empathy shines through the grooves.

Sera and Harvey are credited as co-producers with Lawson, and Tim describes their input as invaluable. "They work in our studio on an ongoing basis. We work on a song as a team, trying to hear the possibilities. I refer to it as musical brainstorming. We are able to take ideas and put them on the table. It doesn't matter if they're silly ideas, they may spawn brilliant ideas".

Tim explains, "the process of recording music has never been easier, but I like the idea of 'no challenge, no fun.' If you give yourself an Olympic-sized challenge and can execute the high dive, then you have something you can take pride in accomplishing. I love that exploration, when you are in the moment, listening to a part presented in a certain way, or a certain effect being put in. We then see if we miss it if it's gone. We joke here that we want to host the annual Ismore awards, named in honour of Les!"

The results of that process are audible on At A Loss For Words. The Tim Lawson Band comprises seven musicians, plus the backing vocals of Saffron and Camille Henderson, but their sound is never cluttered or over-produced. The focus remains on the voice and the lyrics but the inventive arrangements and ever-crisp musicianship certainly enhance both.

Lawson's approach to songwriting is spontaneous and unforced, another secret to his creative success. "Often I will just be sitting at the kitchen table and I will find a couple of lines in a half hour. Over the course of a week, maybe the song will come through. Sometimes I'll just leave it, as I have faith it will come on its own. If it feels right after repeated singing, then I figure we are going down the right track. We are following the song's lead, as opposed to trying to impose something on it."

There are certain recurring themes in Tim's material, such as his deep love for his wife Karola, one he has explored in many facets. He also moves from the personal to the universal with ease, showing real courage in tackling such global subjects as the war on AIDS, via the powerful closing song, "Why Me", the destruction of the rainforest, and the need for Remembrance of those who have fought for our freedoms.

Lawson also profiles people whose lives well lived can serve as an inspiration to the rest of us. A towering figure in Tim's life was Sir William Stephenson, also known as The Man Called Intrepid. This wartime hero turned humanitarian was the subject of the title song of "The Quiet Canadian", and the Lawson-owned publishing company Timberholme Books scored a best-seller with their work, The True Intrepid: Sir William Stephenson and the Unknown Agents. Another example is that of Lady Di, depicted eloquently in the So Many Stories track, "Barefoot Princess."

Tim himself sets a high standard as a role model. Here is an artist who puts his money where his mouth and music are. Ten dollars from each CD sold in the new 4-PAK sales campaign will be donated to charity.

The purchase of Tim Lawson albums should not be viewed as totally altruistic acts, however. The genuine listening pleasures they provide surely ensures that. This is a man of So Many Stories and his compelling recordings definitely merit your close attention.