Spring & Summer 2005, Issue 60 Tim Lee Ex-Windbreaker Tim Lee is the perennially under appreciated black sheep of the southern pop aristocracy, but with No Discretion, anyone with ears will realize he's one of the finest songwriters going anywhere. Like most Lee compositions, the songs here taken on darker subjects whether introspective ruminations or through gritty character sketches, balanced out with a ferocious, growling guitar attack (as on the driving "Across the Tracks"). The title song is definitive, a clang of dirty blues with an angry righteous streak (maybe a hint of Peter Case in tone), and is the kind of grown-up rock n' roll that the times so desperately call out for. Make no mistake, No Discretion is a challenging record, one that takes a bit of time for the songs to sink in and requires some commitment of listeners, but it re-establishes Lee as a peerless storyteller with a switchblade guitar and a rare melodic gift. Essential. --Luke Torn, editor Pop Culture Press |