Andy Timmons has shared When Words Fail, the second single from upcoming studio album Electric Truth.
It’s a five-and-a-half-minute demonstration of Timmons’ elite phrasing and, as the name of the track itself implies, showcases the electric guitar’s ability to vocalize meaning and emotion by way of just six strings.
Wielding an Ibanez ATZ100-SBT that teeters on the edge of a blissful break-up throughout, Timmons layers his crystal clear minor key arpeggios with fretboard-spanning ideas that put his sustain-laden sound through its paces, thanks to some aggressive lower-fret flurries and elegant upper-fret glides.
A storming major-flavored interlude breaks things up, but a return to the melancholic opening chord progression sees Timmons unleash upon his AZ a torrent of precisely placed-yet-openly emotive notes in the track’s swelling finale.
You can check out When Words Fail below.
Of the single, Timmons explains, “I love that instrumental music isn’t bound by the written word or spoken language. I’ve always felt it can go much deeper in terms of emotional expression.
“The listener is free to interpret and attach whatever meaning they need at that time,” he added. When Words Fail embodies that feeling.”
It’s the latest track to be lifted from Timmons’ forthcoming studio record Electric Truth – following lead single E.W.F. – for which he’s recruited blues guitar extraordinaire Josh Smith for production duties.
“When my friend Josh Smith invited me to his studio to record, I jumped at the chance,” Timmons recalls. “I was looking to do a record outside of my usual band just to change things up a bit.
“I was a fan of Josh’s playing, and really loved the bands he puts together, so we decided I would just come out to L.A. as the 'artist', and he would produce and put the studio band together,” he continued. “We co-wrote a few things, and I wrote a few ballads as well. I’d say overall the record has a funky/earthy feel to it with plenty of melody. And it certainly rocks, as well.”
The pair were joined in the studio by drummer Lemar Carter, bass guitar player Travis Carlton and keyboardist Deron Johnson, while Smith himself dusted off his own guitar for album track Johnnie T.
Electric Truth’s tracklisting has also been announced – you can find it below.
- E.W.F.
- Apocryphal
- Johnnie T (feat. Josh Smith)
- When Words Fail
- Say What You Want
- Grace
- Shuggie
- One Last Time
- Take Me With You
- Electric Truth is available to preorder now. Preorders will begin shipping on April 1.
