Nick Haeffner – What Time Can Do
What Time Can Do by Nick Haeffner is an intriguing diverse album, a set of songs that, with an unusual spirit of exploration, go between folk, jazz, soft rock, experimental blues, and even political humor. Although the album is frequently quiet, its strengths, the intelligent arrangements, clever lyrics, and ambient elements that give each piece a distinctive personality, are brought to light in the details. Listening to it on vinyl is like entering a time capsule of British singer-songwriters, with Haeffner’s unique style integrating elements from the 1960s and 1970s.
Side One
“What Time Can Do,” begins with a jazzy beat supported by a spaced out vibe filled with dub. Its lyrics offer an analysis on habit and resilience as they revolve around the weekly rhythms. It’s a relaxed but strangely attractive beginning. With acoustic guitar and folk-rock warmth, “The River Knows a Secret” changes pace, recalling the Beatles and classic English psych-folk. The river is used as a metaphor for purity and rebirth in the spiritual songs. Driven by gospel-like background vocals, “In the Life” provides bluesy melodies that bring the song into a more spiritual tempo. It’s among the record’s most soulful tracks.Haeffner’s “The Cat’s Pyjamas” tends toward playful folk rock. It has a dramatic touch due to its clever, surreal lyrics, which were co-written with Clive Pig and achieve a balance between beauty and humor. It’s adventurous to include “My Funny Valentine.” Rather than copying jazz standards, Haeffner reinterprets the classic with love and affection by giving it a soft rock vibe from the 1970s that is inspiring of the legendary Doobie Brothers. The dreamy and atmospheric song “There’s Another World,” which closes Side One, explores the idea of hidden worlds as its dreamy melodies mirror of psychedelic experiences. It offers an easy, spiritual break.
Side Two
“The Years Lie in Wait for You,” which opens Side Two, is a bluesy soft rock reflective track on the inevitable passage of time with French lyrics. Its bilingual format lends depth and warmth. Lyrically, “I’m Not Here Right Now” feels existential, part resistance, half resignation, despite being reduced to acoustic folk. It has a personal impact because of its straightforwardness. Despite being instrumental, “Versailles 1783” creates an unusual, nearly ambient blues atmosphere. It feels like a bridge into more avant-garde area and is expressive and cinematic. “It’s All Maggie Thatcher’s Fault,” on the other hand, explodes with political sharpness and fun. It is a satirical jazz-rock song that is relevant since it uses ridiculous blame-casting to parody the social climate of Thatcher’s Britain. The journey comes to a peaceful end with the album’s closing track, “Cranham,” which is an adaption by Gustav Holst. After a storm of sarcasm, its acoustic purity brings peace.
What Time Can Do is not a mood or specific genre album. Rather, Haeffner’s curiosity and diversity bring it all together. He combines soft rock melodies with experimental atmospheres, folk warmth with political satire, and a sneaky touch of humor at all moments. At times humorous, at other times serious, the lyrics are clever and powerful. Nick Haeffner’s What Time Can Do is a hidden treasure for fans of artists that push limits (think Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt, or the Canterbury scene): it’s warm, funny, politically sharp, and musically adventurous.
Photo Credit: Nick Haeffner – photo by Gary Levermore
https://nickhaeffnerdimplediscs.bandcamp.com/
