After 12 years and four albums together, Canadian seven-piece orchestral indie rock band Hey Rosetta! announced they were calling it quits in 2017. That is when the former frontman Tim Baker turned his attention to writing his solo debut, Forever Overhead. Here Baker goes for a more stripped-down sound, drawing upon his earliest influences such as Elton John, Billy Joel, Jackson Browne, and Van Morrison. To refine his material, Baker traveled throughout Canada taking advantage of the Side Door show format of play in intimate homes and spaces overseen by the registered host, which allows artists to tour and perform without the hassle of booking bars and clubs. Forever Overhead features Baker’s vocals alongside piano, banjo, and acoustic guitars; album highlights include: the downtempo piano-driven opening track “Dance”; the sentimental folk jam “All Hands”; the threadbare Celtic-tinged “Spirit”; the melancholy “Two Mirrors”; the sauntering waltz “Hideaway”; and the heartbreakers “The Eighteenth Hole” and “Pools.” Forever Overhead is a beautiful album from start to finish and will likely be ranked as one of Record Department’s best albums of the year. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Hey Rosetta!, Dan Mangan, Said the Whale, Stars, The Weakerthans