Typical Music

Over the course of the first year of the pandemic, Tim Burgess’ Twitter Listening Parties were a lifeline for many. At a time when the world shut down, we all retreated indoors, alone, and cancelled gigs were the least of our worries, the North Country Boy’s idea of utilising social media to unite us round a digital turntable was inspired.

Meanwhile, Burgess was writing. And writing. And writing. From September 2020 to summer 2021, ideas poured out of Burgess. He’d been encouraged by Simon Raymonde, boss of his record label Bella Union – and, of course, a former Cocteau Twin. He applied a musician’s logic: if you can’t tour your last album, write a new one. Then, when you can tour again, you’ll have two albums’ worth of songs to play.

Well, now, arguably, Burgess has three albums’ worth of songs to perform live. Typical Music is a 22-track double, a blockbuster set of songs that are as expansive and diverse as they are rich. As fun as they are funky. That embrace heartache and love. That run the gamut, from ABBA (in the shape of guest vocalist Pearl Charles, whose own brilliant Magic Mirror album is the sound of the magic Swedes doin disco) to Zappa (free-form studio experimentation is go!).

Tracklist

01. Here Comes The Weekend
02. Curiosity
03. Time That We Call Time
04. Flamingo
05. Revenge Through Art
06. Kinetic Connection
07. Typical Music
08. Take Me With You
09. After This
10. The Centre of Me (Is a Symphony of You)
11. When I See You
12. Magic Rising
13. Tender Hooks
14. L.O.S.T Lost / Will You Take A Look At My Hand Please
15. A Bloody Nose
16. In May
17. Slacker (Than I’ve Ever Been)
18. View From Above
19. A Quarter to Eight
20. Sooner Than Yesterday
21. Sure Enough
22. What’s Meant For You Won’t Pass By You