Jim Guthrie Releases 'Takes Time: Instrumentals & Demos'

BY Vish KhannaPublished Jun 24, 2013

Earlier this year, Jim Guthrie finally released Takes Time, his first new pop album in 10 years and one that is currently in the running for the Polaris Music Prize. The record followed a prolific period for Guthrie, who continues to work on instrumental scores for films and videogames. So it makes perfect sense that Guthrie has just released a companion piece to his new LP called Takes Time: Instrumentals & Demos.

Only available digitally, the new album consists of instrumental versions of the original record in sequence, eight demo versions, and a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Only Living Boy in New York."

On his Bandcamp page, Guthrie suggests that the collection was released in the same spirit of instrumental versions of Burt Bacharach hits, which he and collaborator Justin Nace became infatuated with.

In an email newsletter announcing Instrumentals & Demos, Guthrie wrote, "In some ways I almost prefer this version of the album over the regular version, and I've been told by some game devs that it's 'killer to code to.'"

While it's a nice, potentially curious addition for fans, Guthrie tells Exclaim! that, from his perspective, this record almost stands alone and apart from Takes Time.

"The absence of words really does something for me, and they really are completely different songs without lyrics," he says, "A lot of these songs sat as instrumental rough mixes for the better part of five years so that might be why I prefer them. Leaves room for the mind to wonder. Or wander.

"They could also be used for drunken indie-rock karaoke?" he adds, helpfully.

You can stream the 20-track release below, and pick it up over here on Bandcamp.

Guthrie also plays Guelph, ON's Hillside Festival, which runs from July 26 to 28.

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