It’s a shame that Halloween isn’t really celebrated here in Australia. If it were, the fourth album from Canada’s Timber Timbre, Creep On Creepin’ On, would be the perfect soundtrack to accompany a night of ghosts and ghouls.

Lead singer Taylor Kirk’s subdued voice navigates an eerie alien landscape where pianos dance jauntily over the carcasses of doo-wop, jazz and blues. The simplistic, chugging basslines feel like someone is creeping up behind you, while string arrangements screech and whine and send your pulse into a frenzied anxiety.

At first, Creep On, Creepin’ On sounds sparse. Taylor Kirk’s tone is similar to M Ward’s, presenting a deceptive familiarity until you realise that the guttural, ominous moans are anything but common. Woman transports you to some twisted hillbilly psycho circus, while Do I Have Power is like stepping into a bizarro alternate reality where everything is turned upside down.

Creep On, Creepin’ On is a delectably seductive record. It is the elevator music at the Overlook Hotel. It is a staple on the jukebox at Fangtasia. It is the sound of the things that go bump in the night.

Ryan Lynch

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