PREMIERE | Time Thief, "bus stop"
Zoë on guitar at Time Thief’s first show, June 24, 2024; photographed by Madeleine of bbsnapsphotography.
Collaborations between friends and creatively compatible colleagues can only appreciate over time. From projects of the past, the incomplete works in progress, to synthesizing something special that resembles a synergistic magnum opus; the power of two like-minded individuals combining forces has the charged potential to establish anything and everything their shared imaginations together can conjure. And at a time when its easier to stay in our respective bubbles, try to not rock the boat, or make as little noise as possible; those that band together in the name of a better state of being and living are a reminder of what can be achieved through connective camaraderie.
This is the spirit extoled by Providence, RI based artists Zoë Wyner and James Walsh as they present their latest collaboration as Time Thief. Announcing their self-titled debut arriving September 12 via Lost Sound Tapes and Musical Fanzine: the duo present the debut of “bus song” that chronicles the changes made by the developer class and the political set determined to redistrict and reduce preexisting socioeconomic ecosystems with little care for communities in a lower tax bracket. Having previously collaborated together in the band Dump Him, together as Time Thief they make music with heart and spirit in the faces of those that seek to alter worlds with little to no input from those that are the most affected by such seismic and callous shifts.
Zoë and James kick off the inaugural Time Thief release with “bus stop” that takes a motorik ride through the Boston roads they once knew, observations of what’s changed, and why. The song illustrates the formerly familiar worlds that have been redeveloped, negotiating the formative memories that once transpired in the places that have since been altered/demolished/replaced and so forth beyond all recognition. Time Thief laments and processes the loss of those personal places where they once had cried, grappling with the wrecking ball and crane backed by big VC money that disfigures the places that used to comprise organic communities for local inhabitants.
It’s a song that chronicles the classic tale of big corporate interests redesigning the landscapes and gentrifying anything and everything that can be bought, sold, and molded into the aesthetics of generic monotony. The duo pays tribute to those beloved spaces that held so much power and meaning that have become deformed and disfigured into the TJ Maxx-ification of of décor that appears as if it was conceptualized by the dehumanized hand of AI. Delivering a eulogy for what once was, the scrappy spots that held so many memories, and all that has been replaced by vacuous, uninspired angular buildings, faux “vintage” shops, matcha lattes, and normie techie vests for days.
Dubious interactions with dodgy folks on the touring road are called out on “mean girls” that transforms the classic trope of toxicity into an infectious DIY pop ballad. The lens of focused perception bops in the rhythmic thumping “field of depth” that rides forward like a rollicking road trip in the band van, playing a trove of cherished, classic cassettes. Time Thief slows it down for the melancholia that slow dances and sashays on saudade, yet hopeful, "a brief history of ordinary letdowns". The song “rot” will have you dancing to the unstoppable forces of decay, as “baby boy” closes it all out with a lullaby hymn of wistful nostalgia that departs like a dream ship taking flight from its oceanic bed, ascending toward the sparkling night skies.
Time Thief, from left: James Walsh & Zoë Wyner; press photo courtesy of the artists.
Zoë Wyner provided some exclusive insights on the inspirations behind “bus stop”:
The foundation for “bus stop” came together around seven years ago, while I (Zoë) was still living in Boston. I grew up in the Boston area and never thought I'd leave, going as far as writing an exasperated track (for my project halfsour) about everyone leaving the city. Through my twenties, I saw the speed of gentrification skyrocket, and the target demographics of the area rapidly change. “Bus stop” is about the loss of spaces that defined my life and time in and around Boston, and the army of developers who have upended the city that I once called home.
James Walsh on the ones and twos; photographed by Madeleine of bbsnapsphotography.
Reflections on the founding of Time Thief:
Time Thief formed in summer 2024, after the pandemic brought about lots of changes in both of our lives — including our musical projects. We first collaborated on one of those projects back in 2016-2017, when Zoë was briefly playing in James' band, Dump Him. This time around, things are (intentionally) very different; we wanted to create a space where we could explore what it looks like to work together more fully, fleshing out one another's ideas and drawing on our past experiences.
Time Thief live; photographed by Madeleine of bbsnapsphotography.
We were both involved in all parts of the recording process, with the exception of mastering, which was done by our wonderful friend Caufield Schnug of Sweeping Promises, with James tracking and mixing, and Zoë providing insight and support throughout. In some ways, Time Thief is the logical next step from the Dump Him record Venus in Gemini we worked on together, incorporating a lot of the ways we've each changed over the past 8 years; but for the most part, it's an entirely different thing.
Time Thief’s debut arrives September 12 via cassette and limited edition vinyl cut by via Audio Geography, courtesy of the esteemed imprints Lost Sound Tapes and Musical Fanzine.
Cover art for Time Thief’s self-titled debut.
Catch Time Thief on the upcoming tour dates, with further details to be posted on the band’s Instagram:
September
12 Providence, RI
29 Tacoma, WA
30 Olympia, WA
October
1 Portland, OR
2 Corvalis, OR
4 Davis, CA
5 San Francisco, CA
7: Los Angeles, CA
Time Thief