As I mentioned earlier this year, it seems that as a result of the recent times, Brooklyn, New York has become the center of the world for indie rock aficionados. Sure, maybe the Dodgers will never move back east, but Brooklyn has definitely developed into something much larger than their former baseball team could ever compare to. Singer/songwriter Tim Williams certainly feels right at home and well within the walls and camaraderie of Brooklyn. While literally clicking alive on the heels of his third full-length album, Careful Love, Williams channels his personal darkest hours of reconstructive heart surgery, his happiness since the surgery’s success, and his new-found love for the city of Los Angeles.

Kicking off the indie rocker’s album is the catchy and straight-to-the-point “I Hit Another Wall.” Complete with 80′s Casio keyboard synth-drums and a penchant for English guitar chords (think Stone Roses & early Oasis), Williams belts out in a soft falsetto his eagerness to move on with his life. Taken directly from the chorus, Williams throws his own curveball on traditional pop-rock with a pretty catchy line that sticks in your head. “I hit another wall /just like before /not dizzy in the head /no not again.” Why not? Simplicity always works, and in this case, it works well into the musical foresight Williams is aiming for, given his recent history in his personal life.

Afterward, the quirky and bouncy cuts “Ozone Street” and “Oceans” come along. Williams is good at crafting simple yet elegant guitar melodies behind the backdrop of subtle drumbeats and good production. Think of them as a bright sunny days outside in the dead of spring with everything in full bloom. Williams’ usage of these musical ideals bring to mind many images of these forgotten spring days. Images of kids bike riding, flowers in full bloom and old, beaten dirt roads reminisce and bubble amongst the Brooklynite’s pop-rock bonanza. However, the album’s most downtrodden tune, “All In”, comes off rather weak and slows down the overall smoothness of this record.

While “All In” musically is a departure, vocally and lyrically, Williams doesn’t seem to be at his peak. After the first three gleaming cuts, “All In” feels like a forced throwaway with a bit too much drama behind it, given the subject matter. Minor piano dominates the song and Williams’ lyrics are a bit bleak, but it’s an unexpected turn that could have been fixed up more. Fortunately, Williams goes back into the fire with his hip-swaying “Stilts”, complete with silky guitar arpeggios and his trademark simplistic songwriting skills. What’s interesting to note is the bass line that dominates the song. Subtly distorted, it’s rather rough in the mix compared to the much cleaner guitars and drums. Definitely some musical significance there, especially as Williams chants, “Home/ This is home.” “Stilts” ties “I Hit Another Wall” for best song on the album by far.

Coming around the home stretch, Careful Love rounds itself out with melancholy “Love Hate” (think a very somber White Stripes), the soft spoken “Murderous Air” and the finale, “I Want To Die In California.” After the dust settles on this light and somber trip, Williams emerges with a smile and a new lease on life. While the album overall is a nice departure from the typical rat-race day, Careful Love has a few weak spots that rob from its overall cohesiveness. Williams is a good songwriter, no doubt, but some of his compositions come off as a little too basic; a little bit of “I’ve heard this before” comes up once in a while. Vocally he’s gifted, as well as with his piano skills, but Careful Love throughout its entirety seems to lack something to really push it over. The cake is done, so to speak, but not enough icing made it onto the final product. For the acclaimed singer/songwriter’s third record, it’s not bad, but it could have definitely been something much, much more.

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