A graceful, soulful artist who recorded songs made very well known by other artists. He appears to have been riddled with heroin and drugs through most of his adult life and whilst he recorded 9 LP’s they were condensed into a short space of time, releasing nothing in his last 6 years, dying tragically at the age of just 39.
For me, the stand out track on Side A is ‘Red balloon’ which, given the first track was probably what he was known for given its subsequent covers (and on this version there is some brilliant percussion which elevates it above many of its future copies), is easy to miss. But it is stunning, showcasing his voice in all its glory which overlays a simple acoustic offering that weaves a certain magic along the way. ‘Bought a red balloon, got myself a blue surprise….’ Oh, man. And whilst the rest of the LP does not quite hit these heights, what it offers is a simple, easy to listen to offering that showcases the artist at the start of his short, but gifted career.
I’ve heard of Tim Hardin and when I looked up the history of his life there was surprisingly little out there. However search for his ex-wife Susan Morss and you will find more. Usually when folk artists, or indeed any in the music industry, die so young there is a great deal. In itself, the lack of information had me wondering why this might be. This LP warrants him to be remembered a lot more.
