Tim be Told frontman Tim Ouyang is at the head of the pack
Dorm rooms don’t seem like the best places for creative inspiration.
But it was in one at the University of Virginia that Tim Be Told recorded their first LP, Getting By. Having written nearly 50 songs before he got to the University of Virginia, the band’s frontman, pianist and vocalist Tim Ouyang, always had music in his blood. But it wasn’t until he found a kindred spirit in guitarist Luan Nguyen, whom he met in an a cappella group that he thought about starting a band. And when they roped in guitarist Andrew Chae, they knew they were on to something good. So in 2006, they started composing — laying down the groundwork for that first LP and starting the friendship that would become Tim Be Told.
Together, their angsty pop rock sound echoed Maroon 5, with piano splashes that sounded more Ben Folds and deep, soulful vocals that one reviewer later compared to Tom Waits. Adding drummer Jim Barredo and bassist Parker Stanley to their line-up, the band went on to win the university’s competitive Battle of the Bands. (Woot! Woot!) Their fan-base has been growing ever since; the 600,000 plays they’ve netted on their MySpace page places them among the top 10 of unsigned bands in the state.
Their latest EP, From the Inside, got one of the most positive reviews we’ve ever seen our critical blogger GT dole out. He praised it as “one of the strongest releases I’ve heard all year” — an album that “converted me from an optimistic casual listener to a full out enthusiastic fan, leading me to pick up their debut LP from a couple years ago as well.” Why?
Their 2009 EP: From the Inside got one of the best reviews we've ever given out on MTV Iggy
“While many musicians struggle to find the perfect sound and style for themselves, Tim Be Told comes incredibly close to hitting the proverbial nail on the head. The have created a great sounding cocktail of Maroon 5 meets Jason Mraz meets Ray Charles meets Elton John… On top of the great sonic palette, Tim Be Told keeps things weighted with thoughtful writing that touches upon deeper subjects all the while still drawing from their own personal beliefs and faith. It’s a balance that’s hard to strike but they are definitely on the right track.”
The group isn’t your typical rock band. Instead of preaching a message not of rebellion, destruction, and sexual angst their lyrics are hopeful, and at many of their concerts they dedicate their performances toward raising awareness of social injustices.
The band is one of the most diverse on the scene. Tim Ouyang’s parents hail from Taiwan, Nguyen is Vietnamese, and Chae is Korean while drummer Jim Barredo was born in the Philippines. That diversity, they say, is their strength.
“Music, for me,” said frontman Tim Ouyang, “is the sincerest expression of the human soul. It has the power to heal the heart, and the strength to soothe its anger.” And the band itself was named after the expression “Truth Be Told.”
We’re very lucky to have them guest blog from the road on their current tour. Don’t miss their great live performance so scroll down for tour-dates. And, learn more about the band and hear more tunes over at their MySpace page or, stream the band’s entire album right here at MTV Iggy! Their terrific track “Analyze” is also available as a free download here.
Tour Dates:
Links take you to more information about the show, so click on your town!
Jan 14 2010 @ 5:00 pm Kick Butt Coffee, Austin, TX
Jan 15 2010 @ 7:00 pm Fort Bend Community Church, Missouri City, TX
Jan 16 2010 @ 7:30 pm Houston Chinese Church, Houston, TX
Jan 17 2010 @ 11:00 am Fort Bend Community Church, Missouri City, TX
Jan 19 2010 @ 7:00 pm The Living Room, Los Angeles, CA
Jan 20 2010 @ 7:00 pm University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
Jan 22 2010 @ 7:45 pm Hollow Body @ TRiP, Santa Monica, CA
Jan 23 2010 @ 7:00 pm Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Jan 24 2010 @ 5:00 pm South Bay Sa Rang Community Church, Torrance, CA
Jan 28 2010 @ 7:00 pm Livingwater Church, Berkeley, CA
Jan 31 2010 @ 7:00 pm Bay Area Chinese Bible Church, San Leandro, CA
Feb 3 2010 @ 7:00 pm Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Feb 4 2010 @ 7:00 pm Skagit Valley College, Oak Harbor, WA
Feb 5 2010 @ 7:00 pm Ethnic Cultural Theatre w/ New Heights, Seattle, WA
Feb 6 2010 @ 7:00 pm Evangelical Chinese Church, Seattle, WA
Feb 9 2010 @ 3:00 pm University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO
Feb 10 2010 @ 7:00 pm Chinese Evangelical Church of Denver, Denver, CO
Feb 12 2010 @ 7:30 pm The Chapel w/ Fundamental Elements, St. Louis, MO
Feb 15 2010 @ 9:00 pm Elbo Room w/ Lucrezio, Chicago, IL
Feb 17 2010 @ 6:30 pm The Canopy Club w/ special guests, Urbana, IL
Feb 18 2010 @ TBA Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Feb 20 2010 @ 7:00 pm Ishan Gala Benefit Concert, Charlottesville, VA
Check out an acoustic session of “Ordinary” off their latest EP: