Timeseven – “When We Were Young”
Timeseven – “When We Were Young” – Single Review
Way back in February, when I reviewed a single called “When You’re Home” by Timeseven, I was pretty convinced that the professionalism, the songwriting, and the high level of execution from its founder William Hayden & his band of studio aces would pretty much crack that bat for a homerun every time I had an opportunity to listen to whatever they might come up with next. I’m happy to report that’s true as far as I can tell – hearing the new single “When We Were Young” was essentially all the confirmation I needed to know I was right about all that. Timeseven has it all together & is on completely solid ground.
Now…if we’re looking at a direct comparison between the two tunes I’ve personally heard so far and had here on our pages to review, I’m likely going to side with “When You’re Home” overall. Don’t get me wrong, this here new single is a mighty fine tune in its own right and flawless by any conceivable definition, played sincerely and written with wonderful sentiment…but I suppose it does feel a bit more familiar, whereas a track like “When You’re Home” felt more like a rare gem. Trust me when I tell ya, Timeseven is in a very good place y’all – there certainly isn’t anything wrong with crafting & creating a perfect song if you can do it, and as far as my ears are concerned, this band has created at least two of those out of the two I’ve heard, while most bands and artists are still hoping they stumble onto one of their own one day. So even though I might feel more partial towards the last single on a personal level, that’s all it is – my own personal taste. The bottom line is that Timeseven puts itself in position to win you over each and every time through its flawless execution, rounding all the corners, and making sure all the attention is paid to the finest of its details.
The sparkling guitars and gentle sincerity of a track like “When We Were Young” has that hazy, drifting nostalgia floating through it right from the get-go. At first, it feels similar to something you might find in the Carpenters’ catalog, or James Taylor’s, before it’ll go on to establish itself with a more of a robust sound overall, which brings “When We Were Young” from an Adult Contemporary tune in its verses towards more of a light Country vibe in the chorus. All-in-all, I suppose you could call it a hybrid of sorts, though I suspect that seems to be the case for most songs these days in the approach being taken in the scene right now. No complaints from me on that, it’s good strategy, and it works in favor of songs like this too. Think of it this way…if it was merely a Country tune and nothing more, I’d probably be out – but with a track like “When We Were Young” having more depth and versatility to its sound, a guy like myself that’s very much on the fringe of anything that’s Country at best, can find my way into a song like this. To me, I feel like Timeseven’s greatest advantage over a lot of what’s out there is how much care it audibly sounds like is being put into the music. Again, that’s due to the fundamentals in the songwriting, execution, professionalism, and musicianship combined – but there’s a sense that no details ever get overlooked when it comes to the music you’ll find in Timeseven, and my ears appreciate that. You can rock in whatever genre you like if you’re giving it everything you’ve got – that’s a tried, tested, and true recipe for greatness in every kind of music there is out there. If everyone put the level of effort into what they create like Timeseven does, believe me when I tell ya, the critical part of a critic’s job would disappear altogether! This band doesn’t need any notes or feedback from the likes of me folks…they know what they wanna do when it’s time to push record, and they’re prepared to make the magic happen, 100%.
Maybe that’s what it is. A combination of preparedness and professionalism. Like, they’re obviously still human…but when you’re a real professional, you’ll keep at a part until you’ve played it exactly how you want it played…the way that the song itself is truly calling out for in the way that it’s been written. I feel like Timeseven nailed every part of “When We Were Young” once again, in particular with the guitar work from Hayden, and the vocals of Brad Williams, both who arguably carry the most weight in this particular single this time around. Hayden’s guitar can’t help but shine with its subtle golden sound, and Williams has such a remarkable wisdom in his voice that he really induces the nostalgic vibe you get in the lyricism to become as vivid as it is, to the point where it’s like you see all the scenes of the words in your mind as you listen to the song. Sprinkled with the ace talents surrounding them from the rest of the band, and the expertise at the helm on the production end of the spectrum, with Grammy-winning mixologist Darrell Thorp lending a hand, “When We Were Young” is another solid song to add to the catalog of Timeseven that reveals their incredible consistency & undeniable professionalism, all around.
“When We Were Young” gets its official release online this October 23rd. Find out more about Timeseven from the official website at: https://www.timesevenproductions.com
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