WRITTEN BY NEVAEH TILLMAN
Looking to add music to your chill, indie playlist? Add Casual Male’s new album, Casual Male to add a little spice to your playlist. Casual Male, also known as Tim Lappin’s journey is impeccable—he started out when he was 12 years old learning electric bass guitar. His educational background involves studying Jazz at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He moved to NYC soon after, in hopes of making his dreams a reality. When he noticed being a bassist gave him more opportunities, he began collaborating with others through openings and tours. In his free time, he would surf and come up with songs, hence this album.
What makes Casual Male stand out is how he uses multiple genres from elements of rock, country, pop, and more—it’s an album for everyone! The album explores themes of love, life, self journey, and more. He manages to build a vulnerable bridge for all listeners to embrace and join in with an energetic beat. Some songs that stuck out to me were: “These Days,” “Dotted Lines,” “My Mind is Open,” and “Everybody Knows.” Each song has enchanting guitar solos, which if you know me, I am a sucker for. If the song isn’t giving me goosebumps, I don’t want it! In the press release, Lappin mentions, “Abe and I were trying to capture some of the production of 70’s rock…yet still have it feel very modern.”
I appreciate Lappin’s soundscape, as I can tell it’s something he is passionate about, and he enjoys different types of genres. I am sure his own music taste shines through. For example, I am curious if Prince was an inspiration for him as “My Mind Is Open” gives off Prince vibes through the beautiful storytelling and creative instrumental choices to paint the perfect picture for his listeners. Overall, Casual Male may have the word “casual” in it, but indeed it’s bold, bright, and balances the soft and rough edges of each song beautifully.