If you’re no stranger to my site, you probably remember an interview I featured with Tim McNary about a month ago. In the interview piece, we talked about his new album Above the Trees, which officially releases tomorrow. Tim began songwriting during his time in South America, experiencing a “re-birth in many ways.”

With tomorrow being the official drop of Above the Trees, I thought there would be no better time to share my thoughts on the seven-track album that speaks clearly of the adventurous spirit Tim possesses.

While not defined as a concept album, you will clearly hear a cohesive message laced throughout the project if you listen hard enough. You’ll notice at times, that the sounds underlying his soulful vocals are reminiscent of nature; featuring ambient echoes, floating chords and wave-like percussion.

The album was written over the course of five years throughout many life-changing moments for, Tim, one of them being his move to Nashville in the Summer of 2013.

The title track, “Above the Trees” is a reflective song on the album that brings about a feeling of melancholy when you hear it. The song starts out with a stream of choir-like harmonies, making way for Tim’s powerful, yet subtle vocals that grow in strength throughout the track. The simplistic hook allows for the verses to tell a true testament that I think everyone will take their own way.

“Be With Me” is my favorite track on the album. The dark, earthy instrumental contrasts perfectly with Tim’s story-telling. Think Bob Dylan meets the Civil Wars and they all go camping.

“The Heist” is another album gem with a lot of sentiment. With possibly the catchiest hook on the album, it is a percussion-driven track with a whimsical and mysterious moral. You can almost picture the entire music video as you watch it. A gray-cast, abandon diner somewhere in Arizona where one car arrives to do a drop and another shortly follows to pick it up, the initial dropper waiting by a pay phone to hear some news but nothing comes.

“I gave you the money, give me what I want.”

The unique, honest quality in Tim’s music is hard to  come by. You will not find stories and daring sounds merge together so seamlessly as one in many other places. He is the type of artist that paints visuals with his music, easily appearing to every listener in a different way and I think that’s something only great artists are able to do.