Under the House

Tim Lee | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 25, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Paisley Pop
• ASIN: B00008DCTG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #337,735 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Bruce Brodeen, notlame.com

"A beautifically gorgeous rootsy trail of dusty backrooms, warm summer nights on the porch and distinctively Southern jangle."

"... pop music with both brains and teeth."

"One of the best new voices from the South."

Product Description

Following a break from the music business, Tim Lee is back with a new record and a new band. 'Under the House' is his first new solo album in nearly a decade following six Windbreakers albums and 3 previous solo albums. Lee has always traveled a rougher.paisley pop.2004.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Junkmedia.org Review - Organic rootsy pop rock, April 15, 2003

By 

junkmedia (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under the House (Audio CD)

In some circles, the coming of a new Tim Lee/Bobby Sutliff/Windbreakers release is call for a mighty celebration. With the release of Lee's Under the House, I've pulled out the party hats and cake -- the noisemakers have been banished to the back yard so that all revelers can listen and enjoy.

This is a great little CD. Not as polished as his work with the Windbreakers, Under the House has more of a rural feel than the WBs southern roots ever made apparent. Born in Mississippi and based now in Tennessee, Lee connects intimately with the music of the rural south --the electrified blues and the twang of country -- filtered through the aggressive honesty of punk. Indeed, it appears that his near-decade hiatus from recording has encouraged him to reconnect with his regional roots. The result is an honest and organic roots pop album that has none of the sheen of current contemporary country artists -- and certainly little of the self-consciousness of standard pop rock.

There is an appealing rawness to the music. It has a first-take sense of spontaneity, and the phrasing of the lyrics rings with deep emotional honesty and intelligence. With a decade in the non-musical wilderness (which included a stint as an elementary teacher as well as time spent writing about dirt-track racing), Lee has abundant issues to sing about. The songs are about truth and the road, about growing old and the pain of loss. This is pop music from the perspective of an adult -- serious issues, but with an engaging musical environment.

Beyond the sobriety of the lyrics, Lee clearly loves his guitar, and he lets the instrument speak eloquently. An engaging blend of electric and acoustic guitars flavor the mix, with a deep, low bass line anchoring the songs at the bottom. The country feel to the CD is emphasized with the occasional and tasteful use of slide guitar lines, but the primary musical experience is grounded firmly in Lee's hybrid blues-country-powerpop. Those powerpoppish elements are enhanced by challenging and engaging guitar riffs, a mixture of George Harrison's simplicity and Keith Richards organic rootsiness. The new-south elements of 1980s Let's Active/REM/Windbreakers are all present, begging the question once again, of "why wasn't he a megastar in 1985?"

Regardless of star status of the artist, it is clear that there is much good stuff here. If you like your pop rock with an organic rootsy side, or find the North Mississippi All-Stars to be good, but the drumming too dense, you'll find much to enjoy here.

Ken King
Junkmedia.org Review