There's nothing half-assed, detached, or cool about Ruining Perfectly Good Songs. The Timbre Project, which consists of songwriter/singer Jaime D'Almeida and guest musicians, offers a collection of rock songs that utilize all manner of sounds, from rippin' country electric guitar to gurgling electronics and earthy organs. Add to that D'Almeida's deceptively clever lyrics, in which mundane subjects often yield profound thoughts, and by golly, Ruining Perfectly Good Songs turns out to be an unexpected treasure.

The album gets off to a quick start with the country-based stoner number "Everything's Graded", which offers an upbeat look at the subject of Judgement Day. A folksy acoustic guitar sets the anchor as D'Almeida's effects-laden guitar stretches languourously, guiding the listener into a lofty chorus. Perhaps the secret to "Everything's Graded", and to every other song on the album, lies in D'Almeida and Peter Weiss' impeccable production work. Repeated listens yield a number of hidden studio effects, like the seamless integration of numerous high-pitched, warbling guitars in the chorus, and the slight distortion of D'Almedia's voice toward the end of the refrain. The small differences go a long way.

On "A Case Against Cloning", D'Almeida calls upon a full string section. As the music alternates between solo piano lines and the strings, he professes his love for his "true companion in the world". The clichéd chorus lyrics "There's only one of her, and I wouldn't have it any other way," are hilarious in light of the song's title.

Yet for all the humor, Ruining Perfectly Good Songs is truly distinguished by its ballads. "Getting to Nicolas" finds D'Almeida threading soft pedal steel into his clean mix of guitars and vocals. "Did You Run" features a heavenly mix of slowly warbling organs and washed out, rippling, psych guitars.

The disc's standout track is the schizophrenic "My Wasted", which begins with a childishly simple two-note riff before slowly building into a rockin' chorus. "Don't think that my wasted time is all I'm trying to forget," D'Almeida sings, over a barrage of overdriven guitars and flailing, spurting electronic sounds. And when the band stops for one second, a joyful electronic "chink" is heard, heralding the tune's final run.

"Message Recieved, Zero Distotion," the disc's potential radio single, is actually the album's weakest track. The song's bombastic chorus sticks in your mind, but more in an "Mmmm Bop"-annoying fashion.

The Timbre Project combines skillful songwriting with eclectic instrumentation and elaborate studio work. Give D'Almeida nothing but an acoustic guitar and a mic, and his songs would probably still hold up -- though he's clearly in his element working with a full band, strings, organs, electronics, pedal steel, mandolins and dobros. The Timbre Project's sound is intricate, yet completely accessible, touching and heartfelt. While the group's diversity prevents it from fitting neatly into any crowd's tastes (D'Almeida can probably forget the cooler-than-thou indie kids), those with open hearts will find much to explore in its timeless pop. -- Stephen Palkot
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