The latest album release from Tamar Berk delivers a very personal and classic rock-driven approach and soundscape that both lend a hand to each other, and as the record unfolds you begin to understand that each song seems to serve almost like a chapter in the artist's life which gives the record a mass amount of character.
The Good Times for a Change album is riddled with this robust personality and sometimes the lyrics can be so descriptive that you can paint vivid pictures in your head while others can cause memories of your own to suddenly pop in and I feel like this is a unique kind of connection the album has to whoever's listening to it.
A lot of times for me, it felt like some of these songs could have actually served as part of the soundtrack to certain chapters in my own life and that is beautiful.
Of course, this also has a little bit to do with the fact that it is indeed very classic rock-oriented and that aesthetic is really strong and holds true throughout the record.
The guitar tones are nailed and the way that she sings on the release gives it an extra color and even more personality along with a beautiful layer of texture and melody to a lot of the songs.
You can tell that a lot of these songs came from someplace genuine as they speak of personal circumstances, situations, and inner thoughts so, you get the idea that this was built off an emotional backbone and to a point, may have even been cathartic for tomorrow to record and release.
The songs do indeed range and there are certainly surprises around some of the corners, and you get some great ballad-style tracks that are acoustic guitar-based along with pop-coated singles which gives the record even more range.
There are a few things that really let this record stand out and one of them is the tonality and again, that aesthetic that makes it feel like you've been listening to some of these songs on the radio for decades now.
A lot of thought and attention to detail has to go into creating such a genuine approach and you can tell that for tomorrow there was a lot of inspiration from classic rock bands that she must have listened to growing up and in a certain way, and to a certain extent, this almost is like a love letter to those bands.
Another aspect that lets this record stand out is the energy level because, in a way, it almost feels like watching a live performance. Part of this is just simply because certain songs are so epic and almost anthemic in a way with vast undertones. But other times it feels like songs were recorded live on the floor and the players that were a part of it were feeding off of each other the whole time to create this unique energy.
Her vocals at times can be almost angelic and have a wonderful way of floating through the ether of some of the songs and the guitar work across the board, is stellar.
There are tracks that even feel cinematic to me because they do have that emotional drive and it is displayed with such a beautiful arrangement and growth.
What I mean by that is, songs can start in one place and grow into a much different place throughout its course.
So there was certainly a lot of thought that went into the songwriting and arrangement of a lot of these songs but it never loses that character that it begins with in the first place and that's really the most important part of everything because that's what you grasp onto and hold.
There's definitely something about this record that makes it feel like it was meant for or written just for you.
This is an album that you need to listen to from beginning to end because if you don't you're going to be missing pieces of the story, and you certainly won't get the full spectrum of what this album has to offer.
With the release of such a well-woven album we wanted to have a sit-down with Tamar Berk to find out what actually inspired this, where it came from, and more.
Here's what happened.
Okay Tamar, let's start with the Good Times for A Change album. This record had a robust and personal approach! Where did this come from?
All of my albums that I've released (which has been 4 in 4 years!) are very personal. I tell stories and try to be as honest as I can lyrically. I also produce all of my own albums in my home studio, and work with my co-producer, Matt Walker who is currently Morrisey's drummer and has played with Smashing Pumpkins and Garbage, Filter etc. I start the track with the basics and then Matt and I work together on what we want the drums to sound like based on my demo drums. Once he starts working on the drums I start adding all the instruments that I play including guitar, bass, piano, organ, synth percussion etc. I have a bunch of musician friends who contribute lead guitar, some bass, mandolin, farfisa and more. I'm very lucky to work with some fantastic musicians! Then I spend months on each song producing it and editing it to exactly what I want to hear.
How did this all start for you musically?
I also start out in the studio with a guitar or piano track, a verse and chorus and a tempo. From there, if I like the verse and chorus..I keep digging in and discovering more about the song and built it it and produce it the way I would like to hear it.
What kind of things really inspire songs for you?
I am fascinated with the human brain...how we think and how we act about our thoughts. I also seem to have an underlining theme that centers around communication...or the difficulty I have with communication. Sometimes I struggle with communicating how I am feeling OR I misunderstand someone else.
This release has some great approaches from rock to pop and more! Can you give us some of your biggest influences musically?
I love the 90s for sure...I can't seem to get away from it! I will always love female musicians such as Liz Phair, Phoebe Bridgers, Lana Del Rey, Courtney Love, Aimee Mann. I also adore Elliot Smith, The Beatles and any light rock from the 70s to be honest!
What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
I paint! I paint very strange weird modern abstract art that borders on psychedelic! On the bottom of my Linktree is a link to my website!
Who's in your headphones right now?
My new album "Good Times for a Change" haha! Lana Del Rey, The Smiths, Joy Division, and Big Star
Are you doing any live performances right now?
I'm playing at Lincoln Hall in Chicago on September 28th, and in Portland I'm doing an in-store performance at Music Millennium on Saturday November 23rd.
Do you record these at a big studio or do you have a home studio set-up?
As I mentioned above...it's my own studio and I work in Pro-tools and have a bunch of mics, keyboards and guitars and basses. It get's to be messy but fun!
What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
Well, I hope they love this album and then go back to my other albums! It's wild to think that I have four albums out in just four short years!
Of course, I'll be writing more! Maybe a 5th one will be on the way sooner than later!
Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
If you like female singers, pop rock, indie pop and power pop songs with 90s vibes I really think you'll dig my music!
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