Kicking off with the recent single, “Cool Down,” an effervescent and incendiary call to arms for the slowing down of progress and technological advancement in a world that feels as if it is running out of control, you might be forgiven for thinking that this new one from Harry Kappen is just another foot-on-the-monitor, fist-in-the-air, rock and roll record. Not that there would be anything wrong with that. But while this flying Dutchman has undoubtedly delivered a collection of songs based in the rock and roll idiom, he proceeds to explore every take on what rock and roll music can be. Better still, Time Will Tell often moves far beyond the usual demarcations of the genre, which is a really healthy thing to see in action.
In contrast to the vim and vigor of the opener, “Where The Volcano Is Awake,” which follows, uses rock tones and textures to weave a more moderate, more mid-paced piece, one that swaps volume and velocity for a slower, more gradual sonic power and additional layers of musical poignancy to produce a song that is wonderfully anthemic in its own quite sort of way…if that is at all possible.
“This Is Real To Me” wanders into soul and reggae territory in a similar way that bands like The Police made it their own. “Open Your Heart embraces that eighties, post-punk, analog meets digital, pop-rock hybrid sound while having its feet very much in the here and now and its eyes set on the future. While “Never Let You Go pushes on into pure pop-dance territory.
The art of being this adventurous, of making an album that garners sound and styles, inspiration, and influence from so many other genres, is to create a core sound to hang them on. Perhaps it is the rock guitar that drives the music, the album’s sense of adventure or the style and sophistication of the poised production that he has polished the songs with. It may simply be the sonic extension of Harry Kappen’s personality that glues everything together and makes things cohesive and consistent. Whatever it is, it works. By god, it works.
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