Review of Running Away by Timothy Wenzel

‘Running Away’ is Timothy Wenzel’s seventh album and true to the curious name; it does generate a lot of imagery. It is like he has given you an easel, a canvas, and a paintbrush and asks you to draw what you feel like…your dreams, your fears, your hopes, your innermost feelings, and aspirations. All of us are running away from one place to another, physically; from one thought to another, mentally; and maybe from one phase of existence to another, spiritually. He invites us to take his music as a companion and roll on.

Being an aspiring poet, I always dwell a little more on the names of the tracks while reviewing any particular album and ‘Running Away’ has interesting ‘lead-ins’ I would say for track names…like a prodding question or a thread-end of a poetry line that you catch while musing on something around you. Check for example ‘Running Away…(from bad things; hallucinations; or fears); ‘Makes you Wonder…(what’s your life’s goal; why you are born; or what I need to do to sort my life); ‘A Friend of Mine’…(visited me like a fresh breath of air; brought the much needed space of a leisure talk; or I lost, and now things look blank);.’Breaking Free’…(from your shackles; what limits your creativity; or to soar high). I mean the possibilities are endless and so are the scenes weaved by Timothy’s music. A listener will get ample imaginative layers to let him/her float into a world of his/her particular disposition at the point of time.

I listened to the album in my car, in my laptop’s speakers, and then with JBL headphones…well, the music does carry you along to other worlds.

Album Name: Running Away

Artist Name: Timothy Wenzel

Total Time: 54:24

There are 12 tracks in the album and various session artists have lent their expertise to various tracks–Jeff Haynes, Jill Haley, and the very talented violinist Josie Quick, who has brought a very rich emotive texture to many songs with delicate sounds of the violin. Each song tells you a story or lets you write your own.

What I love in the album is that it is a package–all the tracks are not of one genre, and you get a taste of various instruments, moods, and styles. While ‘Dream of Summer’ is a lilting melody, the ‘Gazelle Dance’ is an energetic and powerful electronic number, and ‘Coronal Rain’ borders on the ambient scene with radiant flute pieces.

My favorite song is the title song ‘Running Away’. It has a beautiful rhythm and a lot of intrigue.

A perfect collection of tracks for traveling and driving, and equally evocative for meditation and relaxation, ‘Running Away’ is must-have for a genuine music lover, and I congratulate the artists for being the channels to deliver such a wonderful sonic experience!