Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Lyrical duality is essential to a successful career as a singer/songwriter, and if this is still the case through the duration of the 2020s, I think Tim Snider should count on seeing a lot of good fortune coming his way on the back of songs like his single “By Your Side.” Written from personal experience but stylized to be relatable to pretty much anybody who loves a good pop melody, “By Your Side” doesn’t break the mold when it comes to aesthetics, but rather expands upon a theme that had been left mostly abandoned at the start of the 2010s by indie singer/songwriters a generation before Snider.
The arrangement used in this song puts what some might consider an unconscionable amount of pressure on the bassline, yielding a really tense environment behind the lead vocal that could be potentially overwhelming were it not met with such a pretty serenade. Suffice to say, Tim Snider isn’t intimidated by the sonic wallop creeping up in his shadow – if anything, he faces it head-on and creates a harmony out of the discordance, which, for being something a little more common in hard rock music, actually works well for this folky compositional scenario.
Tim Snider’s vocal is a bit brittle in a few spots that I wasn’t expecting at all, but from all angles, this seems like a thoroughly deliberate move on his part. It’s hard to project fragility when you’ve got the kind of natural studio swagger this young player so clearly has, but even if he did have to hold back a little to reveal his emotions to the audience in as unobstructed fashion as possible, I think it was a worthy sacrifice any way you look at it. Balance is king in the pop genre, and this is a singer/songwriter who came into the game knowing that.
Try as you might this winter, I don’t think you’re likely to find a tighter mix than the one Snider and Wolfgang Timber have in “By Your Side,” as it features superb attention to detail mixed with an even flow for both physical and melodic components the same. Anyone who keeps up with the industry knows to expect a lot out of the tracks that have been coming out of this scene in the last few years, and with this captivating lead vocal at the mic, the music gives us something fascinating to talk about as 2022 nears the finish line.
“By Your Side” presents us with an interesting cocktail of poetic multidimensionality amidst a straightforward instrumental concept piece, and while I will still need to hear a lot more from Tim Snider before I believe in him beyond the immediate future within this scene, he has a charm in this song that will have me coming back to his output once he’s ready to bring forth a new studio album. I believe he’s onto something really special with the formula behind this piece, and with the approval of indie fans, he’ll be off and running with a legit career very soon.
Stacey Winter
