Timber Timbre - Cedar Shakes (LP)

Cedar Shakes is the debut album by Canadian band Timber Timbre led by Taylor Kirk. It was recorded in July 2005 in Bobcaygeon Ontario and self-released in 2006 then reissued by Full Time Hobby in 2023. The album blends lo-fi, folk and blues with eerie sparse arrangements and dark lyrical themes.

The album opens with the track So Much built on steady guitar and whispered vocals creating an intimate brooding mood. Home follows with a minimal structure evoking isolation and regret. The song Mercy delivers haunting falsetto lines wrapped in ambient reverb. Each track is stripped back leaving space for tension to build in its quiet restraint.

Cedar Shakes and Black Creek Drive highlight Kirk’s storytelling voice against sparse acoustic guitar. The arrangements are intimate with subtle textures and distant room noise preserved in the mix. The album leans into alt-country and gothic folk with atmosphere drawn from silence distortion and echo. It has a cinematic haunted tone reminiscent of early Bonnie “Prince” Billy.

Though modest on first release it has become a cult favorite among fans of dark Americana. Critics like Sputnikmusic praised its “creepy blues and wistful balladry” while Album of the Year noted its raw twangy charm. Cedar Shakes is a quiet debut that reveals its weight slowly through mood atmosphere and understated depth.