Tears In X-Ray Eyes
Half-Life
© 2002 Test Tube Records (634479112829)
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Bittersweet tales of love and loss from a London bedsit - heartfelt and brimming with restless ambition - What's On In London called it "a work of pure genius".
tracks
- 1 Nature's Valentines
- 2 Stained Glass
- 3 Half-Life
- 4 Open Wide
- 5 Don't Crush The One You Love
- 6 London's Most Unwanted Child
- 7 Independence Day
- 8 Keep Us Together
- 9 Wish The World Away
- 10 Love Me For Five Minutes
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"This remarkable debut by Tim Closs has been re-issued. Which is just as well, as it's a work of pure genius"
- Richard Fallon, What's On In London, Feb 2002
"Lovelorn lyrical sharpness not heard since Morrissey took a sharp right-turn into irrelevancy"
- April Long, NME, Dec 2000
Tears In X-Ray Eyes' debut album, 'Half-Life', was released on February 4th 2002 on test tube records.
An understated mixture of heartfelt vocals and cinematic arrangements, 'Half-Life' exquisitely captures a sense of suburban lostness and disillusionment. Exploring feelings of frustration and restless ambition, the album sparkles with songs that are loving, lovelorn and full of pathos: "Don't read those teenage magazines", pleads 'London's Most Unwanted Child'.
Two double A-side singles, 'Stained Glass'/'Don't Crush The One You Love' (February 2001) and 'Open Wide'/'London's Most Unwanted Child' (May 2001) on test tube paved the way for 'Half-Life' with positive critical reactions.
In equal parts fragile and epic, 'Half-Life' is warm; never over-bleak: 'Keep Us Together' and 'Independence Day' turn from brooding melancholy into something joyous.
reviews
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- author: CD Baby
Bittersweet tales of love and loss from a London bedsit - acoustic guitars, old synths and orchestral percussion create something heartfelt and brimming with restless ambition - What's On In London called it "a work of pure genius". Personally, I took this one home right after I heard it and have been flipping my lid over it ever since. It is a rare specimen of smart art-pop with the kind of hopeless/hopeful themes and feels that you might have been introduced to by the marriage of The Smiths and Cocteau Twins.
A Disc that grows on repeated listenings
author: As the Disc SpinsI first heard "Love Me for Five Minutes" on a CD Baby compilation disc. I liked it enough to order the disc. I was mildly disappointed on first listen. But, I kept it in the player. And, after a few more spins, I really liked this disc. And, I realized that I liked every song. The disc remains in my player two weeks later. After daily listens, it remains a real find. Great tunes--melodies that work their way into your brain and you end up humming them hours later. A disc not to be missed.
well-written and touching
author: PamA wonderful album over all, well written and well performed. Tim Closs' voice is fragile and sweet. His songs make me want to curl up with my fuzzy cloud blanket and a familiar novel.
Brimming with creative brilliance and sad recollections.
author: Pamela RooneyOh, love! Such a pain. With all the millions and millions of songs out there that have been written by those tenderly nursing their broken hearts, I’d have to say that this CD has some of my favorites. Perched just inside the windowsill of his 4th floor London apartment, I imagine Tim Closs (he IS Tears in X-Ray Eyes) may still be lamenting the loss of this unidentified love. Or maybe loves? The lyrics and vocal arrangements are amazing. Airy drum machines and simple, beautiful live percussion, set the backdrop for Tim’s voice to lead guitars, strings, and keyboards through strange and intriguing effects and startlingly original songcraft. Buy it, but buy some tissue as well... This is not necessarily a happy pop record. And it is perfect that way.
...outstanding
author: Tasty FanzineToo many cooks spoil the broth - stick to the simple things and you'll go far. Just two of my huge archive of cliches that could be used to describe this sublime album. TIXE is Tim Closs, and this is his art, and my word, it's beautiful. There's ten tracks here and not a duff one to be found. From the opening, almost Creature-ish 'Nature's Valentines' through the warmth of the title track, on which Closs does his very best Brett Anderson impression, and onto to C&W lullaby that is 'Don't Crush The One You Love', and the torch song of the year - 'Independence Day' and the huge, orchestral beauty of 'London's Most Unwanted Child' - perhaps the strongest track here, one has the impression that Closs is something of a perfectionist. If this is the case, he's very good at being a perfectionist - 'Half-Life' tells us that much. The problem now is, how does he top this? Losing those Brett-isms could be a start, but that hardly spoils the album. It's the way that these finely crafted songs are so versatile that impresses most. Not only are they intensely personal, but they could just bring a whole bunch of people together. Outstanding.
...this album has restored my faith in guitar music
author: Oxford Student, Gurdeep MattuThis album has restored my faith in guitar music. And in indie. Not one bad track, not one track that needs to be supported to by the rest at all. From the opening distorted guitars on 'Nature's Valentines', Tim Closs singing from some far away high rise building, 'Half-Life' is one long succession of finely crafted guitar tunes. The title track 'Half-Life' and also the moving 'Open Wide' stand out, the latter about a man leaving a relationship after he had 'squeezed himself through every hole', but I could talk you through the merits of all the tracks if I had enough space. Bear in mind, however, 'finely crafted' is the key, as this is not an album for sheer inspiration. Perhaps only the choral intro to 'Independence Day' is far-out enough. There are few real jumps onto the next level. Many sequences remind you of other work, but when it is this good, when the album catches your emotions so precisely, when Tim's advice on 'Keep Us Together' is so apt, the talent cannot be denied. Tim Closs's voice, fragile all the way through, never raging or rasping, always remaining fixed in a falsetto quiver, is another key; in total, a promising new band, who have the key ability - to connect on the human level. Set away the style police, and let guitars gleam once again. This is important. 4/5
"Album Of The Week"
author: Glasgow Evening TimesAccompanied at various times by two other musicians, Tim Closs wields a lovelorn pen similar to Morrissey in full depressed flow. The result is a sad and touching theme of suburban disillusionment and outsider angst. Still, outsiders are the new rock and roll. Or is it the new black?
...bittersweet...promising
author: Teletext, John EarlsTears In X-Ray Eyes is the solo project of one Tim Closs, a curious, querulous London-based singer-songwriter whose fractured anthems of loss and longing ache with intimations of mortality. Closs delivered a statement of intent with last year's distracted, beautiful single Stained Glass, and this profound set builds on the poignant promise. There's a bittersweet, Blur-like track called London's Most Unwanted Child. It certainly won't be Closs. Promising. 7/10
"...a work of pure genius"
author: What's On In London, Richard J FallonThis remarkable debut by Tim Closs has been re-issued. Which is just as well as it's a work of pure genius. It's dark without ever being bleak, while a lingering melancholic beauty is constantly on display. Closs wears his heart very much on his sleeve, as a blanket of honesty is stretched to every corner of not only his world, but ours as well. It's produced with such restraint, giving everything, from his heartfelt vocals, soft strings and guitars room to breathe. Each track should be labelled 'handle with care': such is the level of fragility that exists. If you've ever felt heartache (and I don't mean indigestion), then buy a copy not only for yourself, but for everyone you've ever loved. 5/5