Various Artists- Reason To Believe: The Songs Of Tim Hardin

Originally posted on Instagram, September 25, 2019.

Rescued from the sale bin: 'Reason to Believe: The Songs Of Tim Hardin', released on Record Store Day 2013.

There's no good reason this record should have been languishing in the sale bin at Crooked Beat Records for the past six years. Tim Hardin may have faded into obscurity over the decades, but in the 60s, he performed at Woodstock and wrote songs that were hits for everybody from Johnny Cash to Rod Stewart. His personal struggles made it hard for him to ever find success as a performer, but as a songwriter, there was no one else quite like him.

This tribute compilation was put together by Full Time Hobby Records, and their timing couldn't have been more perfect. In 2013, folk and Americana were having a moment (hands up if you also listened to too much Mumford & Sons in the early 2010s), and this album is a nice mix of not just indie folk, but also dream pop and the more electronic sounds that were popular around that same time.

It could have been an odd combination, but the way it was sequenced, it all flows beautifully together, from the Sand Band's wistful, country-styled take on "Reason To Believe" (I'm so upset they never did anything after this compilation), to the Smoke Fairies' hazy, dreamy version of "If I Were A Carpenter"- which thankfully didn't change any of the lyrics, despite being a cover by an all-female band. Other standouts include grunge icon Mark Lanegan's solo acoustic take on "Red Balloon", and Hannah Peel's devastating cover of the already haunting "Lenny's Tune". It's a stunning look not only at the enduring beauty and magic of Tim Hardin's songwriting, but also at the state of indie music at the time it was recorded. If you ever see this album in a record store near you, please rescue it. You'll be glad you did.