A rabid fan of both the classic songwriters of the 1960s and modern top-40 Pop, Tim Kohler's music combines maximalist arrangements with maximum sincerity, eschewing the irony that often drenches today's pop and indie music.
Garnering comparisons to Ben Folds and the Flaming Lips, Tim Kohler's songs often get a White Album treatment, with each track receiving unique considerations of instrumentation, presentation, and arrangement. Some songs are driven by bubbling keyboards and 808 drums; other tracks hum with fuzzed-out guitars; others feature nearly an entire orchestra.
Sinking into an enthusiastic ballad that heavily relies on the prevailing string performance, "Typewriter" dips into an extremely forward presentation of Tim Kohler's vocals, as he sheds buoyant timbres that wash over you in a swift motion. Emphasizing his unique tenors with a diverse sprawl of artistic genius, you can hear the undeniable talents in both Tim Kohler's singing and songwriting techniques.
He walks amongst the line of numerous genres and styles while never fully dipping himself into the mold of the sounds before him. Creating an unmatched sonic chapter that listeners can grasp with their heightened senses, the poignant delivery that rings bells in "Typewriter" has Tim Kohler elevated to a stature of innovative earnestness. In what would typically be a delicate offering of sweet sounds, Tim Kohler has a knack for creating a colossal universe of bliss. There is a beauty in the lyrical structure that Tim Kohler has released into this single quintessence.
The striking words portray a loving story of admiration at its finest moments. In the irrefutable musical elements, the spirit of Tim Kohler's loving nature is captured as he stuns his audience in the prevailing tones set. With this merely being a sample of what's in store for this talented being, Tim Kohler is one to look out for as he continues to perform with his live band, the Friendship Orchestra.
Congratulations on the release of your prevailing single, “Typewriter.” What moment inspired the beautiful songwriting you deliver in this single?
Hey, BuzzMusic, thank you! “Typewriter” was inspired by my wedding day. I’m always striving to capture moments in the song, sort of like audio polaroids. “Typewriter” is about all the things that run through your head on the day you marry your best friend. There’s sort of a triumphant vibe to it all, like a giant cosmic victory, but you’re trying so hard to stay present, too. At that moment you really do feel like your love is the most gigantic love, and that no one else exists at all at that moment. When I finished the song I gave it to my wife Cat as my present for our first anniversary.
What is the message that you’re hoping your listeners grasp from this piece?
That love conquers all. We’ve sort of assigned a series of vague definitions of “love” in a society like we do with “hope” or “faith.” But in this case, I think it means positivity, resilience, kindness, selflessness. Do the right thing and you’re all but guaranteed to be happy. Cat and I had to overcome a lot to get to that day, both in our individual journeys and our collective ones, and we felt strongly that our love and positivity got us there. The message isn’t really that different than it is in my other songs—“don’t give up.” But with “Typewriter,” there’s also a bit of “we did it!” in there as well.
You are known for your performances with the Friendship Orchestra. What was the creative and recording process like when bringing life to, “Typewriter?"
I struggled for a long time to come up with a perfect arrangement for “Typewriter,” and I wasn’t happy with any full-band versions I worked on. Then I thought of the fact that Cat played the cello as a teenager, and I used that as a jumping-off point. Lately, I have been into the idea of singular themes in lyric, instrumentation, chord progressions, the idea of every element of a song being connected. Matt Jarrard from Book Club (another fantastic group from Atlanta, check them out please!) played the cellos, he overdubbed them, and my friend Martha Oceguera played the top part on viola. She’s another incredible Atlanta musician. I wrote the arrangement myself. I have secret ambitions to write string arrangements for other artists. We did the whole thing at Standard Electric Recorders, outside Atlanta, this place run by Damon Moon with an incredible live room inside of an old church. Another amazing Atlanta soul. It was such a wholesome day, recording this very sweet song with the nicest people in the world. It came together very smoothly.
How does, “Typewriter” compare to other releases that you have under your belt?
If you’ve heard anything else I’ve done, it’s all very maximalist, all very kitchen sink. I wanted “Typewriter” to be the inverse, only the most essential elements. Strings as the foundation, synth pad carrying the chords, piano carrying the bass end, some percussion. It just didn’t need anything more than that. I wanted to say something big without needing my usual fifty tracks of audio to do it.
What would you like new listeners to know about you and the music that you create?
I would like people to know that you are going to get a very genuine, sincere experience if you click on a Tim Kohler song. There is so much irony and cynicism in today’s music, whether it’s indie or top 40 mainstream…my songs are crafted with the intent to inspire, to motivate, to let you know-- that whatever it is you’ve been through, I’m there with you, I can relate. If you hit “play” on a Tim Kohler song, that music is going to try and connect with you, not try and talk over or down to you, but to get on your level. Also, know that no two of my songs are exactly the same. I never try and repeat myself. Someday I would love to have a Tim Kohler song for every and any situation!
