T-Ho: Fit to Mold

A feathery touch of modern nostalgia

In a world where the ease and safety of ephemeral standards imposes a more and more alarming uniformity in artistic expression, inspiration drawn from purer, time-resisting sources can make a notable difference. South Korea based singer/songwriter Tim Haagenson (T-Ho) from Minneapolis proves that when stylistic "loans" and influences from the past are dexterously molded into a modern perspective, they can play a crucial part in the creation of a personal signature.

With a voice reminiscent of Morrissey and Martin Stephenson, and lyrics that recount the troubles but also the beauty of love, life and youth with an amalgam of sensitivity and derision, T-Ho takes pop elements with a "retro" '60s-'70s (and perhaps even '90s) touch to unexpected directions. Hauntingly nostalgic, his lengthy ballads boast melodic themes which are persistent without becoming monotonous, with a compelling tint of originality in their progressions.

A visit to the artist's Facebook profile regales the listener with a selection of tracks showcasing T-Ho's musical ventures and explorations. The currently featured song, Neatly Stacked, is representative of his melodious and soothing acoustic sound, which evolves towards a more robust rhythmic finish. In the same vein, Done You Wrong with its simmering background of guitar arpeggio/tremolo, or Young Buck and Nirvana with their caressing vocals, are based on a solid foundation of bass and perscussion that keeps their interior structure vigorously consistent, despite an outward feel of softness and liquidity.

Another characteristic of T-Ho's songs is the very interesting work done on the vocals, with layered choruses adding an "embossed" effect. Noteworthy examples of this technique are Pop Songs, whose contagious rhythm and melody become in fact the vehicle for a kind of existential questioning (a pop song using the "pop song" style and structure itself in order to talk about pop songs), I Speed with its "primitive" predominant drums and unpredicted melodic shifts, or Nirvana whose dark, silken melodiousness is counterpointed by the assertive percussion. The impression of space and depth is also created by superimposing the ingredients of the arrangement, like in Blind Feel where the drums are placed in the foreground and the melody is underlined with a discreet synth and bouche fermee.

Sometimes a bluesy tendency is manifested, backed up by synths, angelic choruses and the theme and lyrics repeated mantra-like in successive modulations, as in Forgetting Things (We Used to Know). Sometimes an energetic rock'n'roll-ish tune pays tribute to its influences, with prominent guitars and suspenseful "cuts" in the rhythm (You Have My Heart), or brilliantly undermines itself through the almost spasmodic repetition of the lyrics against an ethereal background choir (She Got Old). The clarity and smoothness of the vocal timbre is shown off in a high tessitura (Blind Feel) or accentuated by a gentle melody and an atmospheric guitar (Young Buck).

Although last on the artist's (former) MySpace playlist, the cover of The Beatles' song Got to Get You into My Life (from the 1966 album Revolver), is the key that sets both the tone and mood for T-Ho's own musical universe. The melody with its darker twists suits his voice and temperament to perfection, while its stylistic architecture constitutes a more than eloquent point of reference.