Colorado music fans can get a taste of an up-and-coming Asian American indie band from Charlottesville, Virginia next week, when Tim Be Told comes through Colorado Springs and Denver during their national tour. Tim Be Told are alternative rockers led by a young, multi-talented Chinese American singer, songwriter and keyboard player named Tim Ouyang. The other members are Korean American guitarist Andrew Chae, Vietnamese American guitarist and backup vocalist Luan Nguyen, Filipino American drummer Jim Barredo and European and Native American bassist Parker Stanley.
Their sound is rooted in unabashed pop, with well-crafted melodies polished off with a shiny veneer of tight harmonies. You know the genre: think Maroon 5, and Denver’s own Fray. Ouyang brings a wide sonic palette to his songs, from simple, piano-based arrangements to full-on rockers. His voice cuts through even the densest wall of sound with an amazing clarity and power — you can imagine his soulful, gospel-drenched vocals taking the finals at American Idol, or the show-stopping spotlight in a Broadway production.
Ouyang hails from New Jersey and had already written dozens of songs by the time he was out of high school; Tim Be Told came together when the members were all students at the University of Virginia. They won the UVA Battle of the Bands, and have since become regulars playing the college circuit. The group released a debut album, “Getting By” in 2007, and they’ve recently released an EP, “From the Inside.” You can download the song “Analyze” from the new EP for free below.
It’s worth knowing that the band’s popular within Christian rock circles, but their music isn’t overtly Christian in tone or message.
You can catch the group during their Colorado swing on Feb. 9, 3pm at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and Feb 10, 7pm at the Chinese Evangelical Church of Denver (1099 Newark Street in Aurora).
Download “Analyze” here, or check out some more songs on Tim Be Told’s MySpace page:
Here’s the band’s full upcoming schedule as they criss-cross the country (note that they’re back in Colorado to play at Denver University on May 12):
Feb 3 2010, 7:00P, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
Feb 4 2010, 7:00P, Skagit Valley College, Oak Harbor, Washington
Feb 5 2010, 7:00P, Ethnic Cultural Theatre, Seattle, Washington
Feb 6 2010, 7:00P, Evangelical Chinese Church w/ New Heights, Seattle, Washington
Feb 9 2010, 5:00P, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Feb 10 2010, 7:00P, Chinese Evangelical Church of Denver, Denver, Colorado
Feb 12 2010, 8:00P, The Chapel w/Fundamental Elements, St. Louis, Missouri
Feb 15 2010, 9:00P, Elbo Room w/Lucrezio, Chicago, Illinois
Feb 17 2010, 7:30P, The Canopy Club w/ guests, Urbana, Illinois
Feb 18 2010, 7:00P, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Feb 20 2010, 7:00P, Ishan Gala Benefit Concert, Charlottesville, Virginia
Feb 27 2010, 7:00P, Yale University (Off Broadway Theater), New Haven, Connecticut
Mar 5 2010, 8:00P, Glory of God Christian Fellowship, Raleigh, North Carolina
Apr 1 2010, 8:00P, University of Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Apr 16 2010, 7:00P, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania
May 12 2010, 7:00P, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
Jun 24 2010, 5:00P, ALIVE FESTIVAL 2010, Mineral City, Ohio
I saw their interview on Us Asians by Jeffrey Q Lee…and when he said they could sing…compliments he does not give out freely…I listened and liked what I heard so bought their EP From the Inside and CD Getting By…I like their music and they look presentable… I am tired of old faded jeans and messy hair…can look at my children on their days off if I want to see that…I am not a Teenager but I believe in supporting Asian Talent when it is out there…and they do have talent….a lot of Talent!!!!!!
Agreed, Janice. The band has great chops, especially Tim Ouyang as a singer. They’re doing the right things to increase their visibility and grow their fan base, so maybe they’ll manage to hit the big time.