Nick Haeffner - What Time Can Do (2023)

"What Time Can Do" is the 4th album by London-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Nick Haeffner. Four years in the making, the new album is a burst of ideas both musically and lyrically, and marks a new stage in Nick's musical evolution. While their 2019 album, A New Life Awaits You, was conceived as a follow-up to The Great Indoors, the new album takes them in a new direction. In addition to the folk, psychedelic, experimental, and orchestral sounds of his early work, there are also Latin, jazz, and dub influences. It also includes significant creative input from Marcus Holdaway (High Llamas, Stereolab, Colourway).

Containing original, melodious, and approachable songs, the sound palette is diverse, with an emphasis on Marcus' cello playing. The album also features Yani Martinelli (The High Llamas, Colourway), Canadian jazz singer Chris Cummings (Marker Starling), Nick's former bandmate Clive PiG, and Getrude Veremu (experimental gospel/electronic duo, The band uses excellent backing vocalists and guest vocalists, such as Digital Roses.

Nick is in charge of vocals and plays various instruments such as guitar, keyboard, and melodica. Continuing with dub influences, the band features jazz trombone in the style of the legendary Rico on two songs, and electric harpsichord, vibes, mellotron and theremin on a quirky cover of the Rodgers & Hart standard "My Funny Valentine." Ian Montague's melodious and original bass is a highlight of all songs, and Jim Wallis (Modern Nature, Still Corners) plays drums on several songs. The high quality of the music is supported by nine powerful original songs by Marcus Holdaway and Yanni Martinelli, two standards and new songs.

The lyrics are always original and often poignant. Aging, mental health, Margaret Thatcher's legacy, loneliness, the metaverse, work-life balance, physical imperfections, cats, ghosts and more.

“What Time Can Do” will appeal to those who like tuneful, original, left-field songs. Nick's songwriting has drawn comparisons to Robin Hitchcock and XTC, but it's actually original music, performed with its own energy, creativity, and expertise.