Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Tim Wheatley, Sony Music 2021.
Tim Wheatley is the son of well-known Australian musician/producer/manager Glenn Wheatley (Little River Band, John Farnham) and this five track EP is the first work of his that I’ve heard.
Actually, it was the EP title that attracted me in the first place and I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised by Tim’s writing and recording.
It’s often difficult for the children of famous people to follow their parents into the industry because human nature means that we always compare parent and child.
Tim acknowledges that he did struggle with the Wheatley name and for some time performed under a pseudonym (Crooked Saint) until he moved to LA where, despite the huge success of Little River Band his name barely raised an eyebrow, and he finally felt comfortable enough to revert to his birth name.
Tim has been around the music scene for some time and it has taken him a while to develop his own signature sound which is an interesting amalgam of folk, country, soft-rock, and pop.
During his musical journey he’s spent time in bands, particularly The Sparrows, and also as a solo performer.
In fact, he’s spent the last few years “trialling songs – live” and in the process he says that he’s learned to embrace the uncertainty that this work entails and he’s become unafraid of failure.
The overall feel of A Night Without Shakespeare is that of quiet introspection and it took me a couple of listens to decipher his lyrics because of his husky, sometimes almost whispered, presentation.
The opening track has the risqué title Sex With Strangers and it establishes the musical palette for the disc.
Each track has its own complex soundscape which is underpinned by a solid rhythmic pattern and the liberal use of acoustic instruments, including strings, with musical highlights in the form of snatches of peddle-steel and some tasteful short fiddle solos.
It is hoped that this EP will bring Tim Wheatley to the attention of a larger, mainstream, audience and its release through Sony music should help with this endeavour, especially if they throw some advertising money behind it because A Night Without Shakespeare is a good EP.
