Tim Gartland – Right Amount Of Funky
Self-Release – 2025
8 tracks; 31 minutes
Tim Gartland is a singer and harp player who has played in Chicago and Boston and now lives in Nashville where this, his sixth album was recorded. The band is an experienced group of musicians: Robert Frahm is on guitar, Jody Nardone keys, Mike Joyce (Delbert McClinton) bass and Jack Bruno (Curtis Salgado, Joe Cocker, Tina Turner) drums; studio owner and co-producer Andy Peake adds percussion and backing vocals, joining Nalani Rothrock, Jolie Grace Wareham and Dennis Drummond. Tim wrote all the songs here, with assistance on two from Karen Leipziger.
The general style of the album is enjoyably relaxed. Tim sings in a mellow vocal style that suits the songs and plays harp without excess. Tim lays out his philosophy in the opening track, asking people not to “Waste A Worry” on him, regardless of what he is going through. The harp and guitar fit like a glove, as they do on the title track where Tim declares that he has found just the “Right Amount Of Funky” in his music and, by extension, in life: “The groove that feels true and makes you move is the one to use. You know, this funk right here is the right amount of funky for me”. The two songs written with Karen Leipziger follow: “A Better Life” adds a hint rhumba rhythms to a song about immigrants, people who were so desperate to improve their lives that they crossed oceans to come to America, bringing the diversity and blend of cultures we have today: “They left home, all they’d ever known, with little more than a pocketful of dreams. A chance of a better life, a promise of what could be”; “Walk Away” moves along well with the backing vocals gently supporting Tim’s lead vocal and a fine guitar solo.
Tim plays some higher register harp on the next tune which has a slight reggae feel, as Tim sings that “If This Ain’t Heaven, it’ll do”. The reggae influence shows even more clearly on “Alone Times”, a song that reflects on the pleasures of a close romantic relationship and is sure to find you nodding your head and tapping your toes to the music. Tim’s mournful chromatic harp and semi-spoken, deep-toned vocal make “About To Cry” a really sad listening experience as he reflects on a broken relationship. To offset that, the final track is the most upbeat on the album, though lyrically Tim is still having problems as he asks the girl to “Stop Working Me”, some good harp and slide guitar choruses on this one.
Overall this is a solid album with plenty to enjoy with the thoughtful lyrics and avoidance of musical excess.
