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TJ Doyle – An air of enlightenment and humility brands “On The Horizon”

The singer-songwriter, TJ Doyle, lives in a community on the edge of the Angeles National Forest, above LA – where his band converges to play cyclical gigs at The Whiskey, The Roxy and other LA rock institutions. Recorded at Studio City Sound with Grammy award winning engineer Tom Weir, “On The Horizon”, TJ Doyle’s sophomore album strives to deliver the ‘overarching message of rehabilitating humanity’. As Doyle himself puts it, “many perceived separations exist on the surface, while there is something much deeper that humans share behind the mask of consciousness.”

It’s been a while since a new album has caused as many immediate repeated listening’s for me as “On The Horizon”. I guess it’s inevitable to compare this recording to artists like Neil Young, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne and REM, and also to their very best songs and albums, because TJ Doyle stands up extremely well in that context. Many of the songs have touching, reflective lyrics, and a philosophical maturity that is well beyond anything you will currently find in the popular music market.

Several songs are standouts, and the melody that I find running through my mind later seems to vary among those. “Human” is so touching and absolutely beautiful; I think anyone who has experienced significant discrimination or ostracism will be moved by such an interpretation of our own being and relational morality. But in in terms of emotional power, the album abounds with significant tracks, such as “Cold Rain”, “Everything”, “On The Horizon” and “We Are Here”.

Listening to TJ Doyle is like getting a letter from an old friend who you haven’t heard from in a few years. The reminiscent tone of TJ’s voice is immediately familiar and deeply touching, especially as he discusses worldly themes from the perspective of a person who wants to communicate thoughts that may have gone unspoken for too long.

Philosophically speaking, most of us do not get to really know that many people – in a lifetime, we might count a few family members and a handful of friends as truly close. Strangely enough, TJ Doyle sounds like someone you know really well!

There is both an air of enlightenment and humility that brands “On The Horizon”, as TJ Doyle follows an alternative rock muse, where the words and music is delivered in a heartfelt and moving way that is straight from his soul. On this album TJ performs much the way you would expect a world-wearied man, facing humanity’s life threatening elements to – honest, reflective – but with an all-encompassing skill of an artist who not only has the words and music, but also the wisdom to keep it simple.

TJ Doyle consistently displays an uncanny ability to make the rustic feel perfectly contemporary; to make the obvious seem extraordinary. Simple yet challenging, non-preachy yet full of meaning; I have no doubt in my mind that “On The Horizon” will stand the test of time. Never will music like this stop being good!

TJ Doyle: “On The Horizon” – delivered in a heartfelt and moving way
by Jeena Johnson

The singer-songwriter, TJ Doyle, lives in a community on the edge of the Angeles National Forest, above LA – where his band converges to play cyclical gigs at The Whiskey, The Roxy and other LA rock institutions. Recorded at Studio City Sound with Grammy award winning engineer Tom Weir, “On The Horizon”, TJ Doyle’s sophomore album strives to deliver the ‘overarching message of rehabilitating humanity’. As Doyle himself puts it, “many perceived separations exist on the surface, while there is something much deeper that humans share behind the mask of consciousness.”

It’s been a while since a new album has caused as many immediate repeated listening’s for me as “On The Horizon”. I guess it’s inevitable to compare this recording to artists like Neil Young, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne and REM, and also to their very best songs and albums, because TJ Doyle stands up extremely well in that context. Many of the songs have touching, reflective lyrics, and a philosophical maturity that is well beyond anything you will currently find in the popular music market.

Several songs are standouts, and the melody that I find running through my mind later seems to vary among those. “Human” is so touching and absolutely beautiful; I think anyone who has experienced significant discrimination or ostracism will be moved by such an interpretation of our own being and relational morality. But in in terms of emotional power, the album abounds with significant tracks, such as “Cold Rain”, “Everything”, “On The Horizon” and “We Are Here”.

Listening to TJ Doyle is like getting a letter from an old friend who you haven’t heard from in a few years. The reminiscent tone of TJ’s voice is immediately familiar and deeply touching, especially as he discusses worldly themes from the perspective of a person who wants to communicate thoughts that may have gone unspoken for too long.

Philosophically speaking, most of us do not get to really know that many people – in a lifetime, we might count a few family members and a handful of friends as truly close. Strangely enough, TJ Doyle sounds like someone you know really well!

There is both an air of enlightenment and humility that brands “On The Horizon”, as TJ Doyle follows an alternative rock muse, where the words and music is delivered in a heartfelt and moving way that is straight from his soul. On this album TJ performs much the way you would expect a world-wearied man, facing humanity’s life threatening elements to – honest, reflective – but with an all-encompassing skill of an artist who not only has the words and music, but also the wisdom to keep it simple.

TJ Doyle consistently displays an uncanny ability to make the rustic feel perfectly contemporary; to make the obvious seem extraordinary. Simple yet challenging, non-preachy yet full of meaning; I have no doubt in my mind that “On The Horizon” will stand the test of time. Never will music like this stop being good!

Source: soundlooks.com

TJ Doyle - On The Horizon
by Erick Mertz

The sort of bold sincerity achieved by TJ Doyle is admirable and definitely rare. His album, On The Horizon blows hard and honest, never once wavering.

Loss and a deep sense of resignation permeate the record. The ten tracks affect the listener like Neil Young, standing on the brink of Harvest an artist coming forth with a whole drawer full of wisdom, unraveled through a series of embittered yarns. Doyle reveals world-weary views, his songs pre-occupied with looking back instead of always forward. He describes the reconciliation of personal losses on “Change”, the opening track where he sings about pain and not wanting to change a thing, a sentiment that colors those sultry guitar lines a little blue and definitely more serious. Doyle plays his instrument masterfully, bright sunbursts on tracks like “Living In Our Dream” and “Rosemary’s Wishes” revealing a staggering grasp of American rock and roll, a seemingly lost art.

Sometimes Doyle tends to tell it like it is and it feels like a little too much. He’s either comes in on the nose, or he’s connecting those lyrical dots for the listener too obviously. That’s half the fun. These are fleeting moments though, and a spin through On The Horizon feels as refreshing as the catharsis often described.

Source: beardedmagazine.com

TJ Doyle On The Horizon CD Review
by James McQuiston
TJ Doyle begins On The Horizon with Neil Young-esque vocals, including richly emotive guitar work and a full sound to the backing instrumentation; Change is a track that could receive play on alternative or rock stations. Cold Rain has each element of Doyle’s band shine, whether it be the intricate and ropy bass line, the splashy drums, or TJ’s vocals that spread out authoritatively over the composition.

Something for You is a highlight of the early-middle of On The Horizon, as TJ’s vocals pull double duty in establishing a cogent narrative while harmonizing nicely with the guitar/drum dynamic enacted during the track. A sizzling guitar line differentiates the track from the rest of On The Horizon and pushes listeners to listen to the second half of the album.

Living in Our Dream has a nice ascending motion as TJ moves toward the chorus; as the track continues to spin, listeners will be treated to soulful guitar work, on-point drums, and a wizened set of vocals to lead listeners to the end. The production of Living in Our Dream is particularly special as all constituent elements of the TJ Doyle Band can be discerned but are presented alongside just the slightest amount of grit. By including these small twists and turns during On The Horizon, TJ has ensured that fans will want to keep the album on their players through the next months. The compositions on this title come from a wide variety of places, and it is this eclectic nature that differentiates the release from other artists currently performing.

On The Horizon has a release date of April 8th; for those in the Hollywood area, the TJ Doyle band will be taking the stage at the historic Whisky A Go Go at 8 PM on 4/9.

Top Tracks: Something for You, Living in Our Dream
Rating: 8.7/10

Source: neufutur.com

Album Review : TJ Doyle's 'On the Horizon'
This is TJ Doyle’s 2nd album, the followup to his 2009 debut ” the One True Thing” . He has certainly nailed the fragile wavering of Neil Young’s reedy tenor. The layering of gospel like backing vocals and blues guitar add a different dimension, you might associate with someone like Eric Clapton, more than Neil Young’s typically more stripped down approach. The backing band is as rough around the edges like Crazy Horse, which later went on to inspire Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder as grunge rose in the 90s. There is a more somber western feel to “Cold Rain” that brings to mind both the Eagles and Bad Company. Doyle’s voice uses more flexible pop intervals than Young, the delicate cracks are more stylistic accents than like Young, whose pleading style was on the edge of his excesses. The guitar solo fires out from the song like something an 80’s arena rock power ballad.

The guitar solos are blues based but very clean, reminding me more of John Mayer’s playing style, who is proficient but not rock.His song writing is Doyle’s strong point, “Rosemary’s Wishes” might not have the same feeling that infuses “Cortez the Killer” , but it is a very concise ballad, with more in common with David Gilmore post- 80s Pink Floyd. The marginally more upbeat “Something for You” glides along a middle of the road rock feel, but provides the perfect backdrop for Doyle’s lyrics. There is a slightly more modern rock element to “Living in Our Dream”, but by and large Doyle remains blissfully deaf to the current radio trends. Instead he lives in a time when even what as once called adult contemporary rock had musicianship to it. By today’s standards this sound might even be thought of as country, especially on “Everything”, since today’s country artists are just as influenced by the Eagles and Jimmy Buffet as they are Hank and Willie.

The bass takes a prominent role to help drive the verses of “Human”. The smooth James Taylor like grace that coats his melodies continues to be the song’s focus. The chorus continue to reach for big soaring choruses. The more typical romantic themes crop up on “Everything” . The pristine guitar leads in “Favorite Places”. Lyrically he goes for more of a reflection on how we are treating mother earth. He backs off again another ballad. It has the big arena rock chorus. When he pulls out the acoustic guitar for the closing “On the Horizon” it is a little more authentic to what comes to mind as far as Neil Young goes. The chorus is more polished than where the southern man normally goes.

His song writing is refreshingly honest so it is surprising he is coming from the plastic sheen of the L.A. scene. The album had a lot of time , money and attention to detail put into it as it was recorded at Studio City Sound with the talents of Grammy award winning engineer Tom Weir at the helm, so it sounds impeccable one of the best guitar tones your are going to hear this year , if you are a tone junkie, then take note. It might owe a lot to the West Coast rock of the 70s, but it is lyrically relevant and a good relaxing listen. The album comes out on April 8th so keep your ears out for it and in the mean time check out the video for “Everything ” below.

Source: hiplanta.com

Indie Minded CD Review: On The Horizon by TJ Doyle
by Lisa D'Arrigo
It has been more than half a decade since TJ Doyle’s 2009 debut The One True Thing. With a keen eye for societal observation and issue evolution, it is no wonder. These things take time. A lifelong musician, Doyle has always had an appreciation for music in general and is particularly drawn towards artists that break from the mold to offer something unique. With On the Horizon, Doyle has become that which he seeks.

Opening with the heartbreaking Change, listeners are greeted with their first taste of authenticity as Doyle sings about the loss of his brother and the past that led to finding acceptance in the present. Next up is one of my favorites, Cold Rain. Anchored by emotional guitar playing, the seemingly cathartic lyrics such as “…On my own/No place where I’m not alone/I am invisible everywhere/It washes away the dark clouds and the pain, this cold rain…” are simultaneously haunting yet refreshing. Doyle then slows it down for the ballad’esque Rosemary’s Wishes as well as Something for You which is an inspirational and optimistic plea for people to “start living the life that’s deep inside you.”

Approaching the mid-point of On the Horizon, Living in Our Dreams is an uptempo track with a modern country pop feel that leads nicely into Human. An appeal for compassion towards others and an understanding of the basic commonalities of man, Human does a great job of embodying the themes that are prevalent throughout the rest of the album. Everything is a touching ballad about finding true love in another person while Favorite Places is a call to action in favor of environmental causes and protecting the larger planet in the name of preservation. We Are Here is another example of where TJ Doyle shines with this song about rediscovering self through reflection and finding the courage to be who you are meant to be. On the Horizon wraps with its namesake track filled with hopes for peace and unity.

Possessing a style that evokes comparisons to the legendary Neil Young, TJ Doyle has a knack for vocally expressing his concerns for the world, its resources and humanity in general. Utilizing a somewhat unconventional style of song-writing throughout most of On the Horizon’s tracks, Doyle appears far more concerned with storytelling and raising thought provoking questions than he is with creating a sound that fits within the common standards of today’s music industry. Deep but melodic, long but never tedious, On the Horizon ‘s songs are a vocal exercise in honesty. With lyrics that will resonate with listeners of this genre against a backdrop of emotive guitar playing and top notch overall production that gets the most out of every word and note, TJ Doyle’s On the Horizon is a harmonious piece of personal insight worth checking out.

Source: indieminded.com

TJ Doyle elicits retro Neil Young vibes on chiming ballad, “Change.”
by Mike Olinger
Doyle is a man who sings about the changes and challenges of our generation with an authenticity that harks back to the great work of the 1960s. Harboring a deep connection with the natural world, he infuses his passion for peace into his music with a unique sense of purpose and direction.

We have the pleasure of premiering the opening track to his newest album On The Horizon. Launching with a Byrds-esque guitar arpeggio, the track soon makes way for TJ’s finely intoned voice, culminating in a choir of gospel harmonies and crashing drums. The star of the track however is the vulnerable way in which TJ exposes himself—his brother’s death and the resulting feeling of alienation are palpable in his bittersweet delivery of the lyrics.

Source: thevinyldistrict

Album Review: TJ Doyle’s 'On the Horizon'
by Wil Lewellyn

If you are feeling a little tightly wound from a long weekend of Call of Duty and need something to help you relax or if mid -terms are creeping up and you need some chill music that won’t amp you up, then TJ Doyle’s 2nd album is worth giving a listen. This is the followup to his 2009 debut ” the One True Thing” . He’s nailed the fragile tenor yearning of Neil Young. The layering of gospel like backing vocals and blues guitar add a different dimension, you might associate with someone like Eric Clapton, more than Neil Young’s typically more stripped down approach. The backing band is as rough around the edges like Crazy Horse, which later went on to inspire Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder as grunge rose in the 90s. There is a more somber western feel to “Cold Rain” that brings to mind both the Eagles and Bad Company. Doyle’s voice uses more flexible pop intervals than Young, the delicate cracks are more stylistic accents than like Young, whose pleading style was on the edge of his excesses. The guitar solo fires out from the song like something an 80’s arena rock power ballad.

The guitar solos are blues based but very clean, reminding me more of John Mayer’s playing style, who is proficient but not rock.His song writing is Doyle’s strong point, “Rosemary’s Wishes” might not have the same feeling that infuses “Cortez the Killer” , but it is a very concise ballad, with more in common with David Gilmore post- 80s Pink Floyd. The marginally more upbeat “Something for You” glides along a middle of the road rock feel, but provides the perfect backdrop for Doyle’s lyrics. There is a slightly more modern rock element to “Living in Our Dream”, but by and large Doyle remains blissfully deaf to the current radio trends. Instead he lives in a time when even what as once called adult contemporary rock had musicianship to it. By today’s standards this sound might even be thought of as country, especially on “Everything”, since today’s country artists are just as influenced by the Eagles and Jimmy Buffet as they are Hank and Willie.

The bass takes a prominent role to help drive the verses of “Human”. The smooth James Taylor like grace that coats his melodies continues to be the song’s focus. The chorus continue to reach for big soaring choruses. The more typical romantic themes crop up on “Everything” . The pristine guitar leads in “Favorite Places”. Lyrically he goes for more of a reflection on how we are treating mother earth. He backs off again another ballad. It has the big arena rock chorus. When he pulls out the acoustic guitar for the closing “On the Horizon” it is a little more authentic to what comes to mind as far as Neil Young goes. The chorus is more polished than where the southern man normally goes.His song writing is refreshingly honest so it is surprising he is coming from the plastic sheen of the L.A. scene. The album had a lot of time , money and attention to detail put into it as it was recorded at Studio City Sound with the talents of Grammy award winning engineer Tom Weir at the helm, so it sounds impeccable one of the best guitar tones your are going to hear this year , if you are a tone junkie, then take note. It might owe a lot to the West Coast rock of the 70s, but it is lyrically relevant and a good relaxing listen. The album comes out on April 8th so keep your ears out for it and in the mean time check out the video for “Everything ” below.

Source: geekinthings.com

Music Review: TJ Doyle – ‘On the Horizon’
by Sahar
The inspirational alternative rock of On the Horizon, to be released next month, is TJ Doyle’s follow-up to his 2009 debut, The One True Thing. The album will sound both familiar and new in the combination of the very Neil Young-inspired vocals and the 1980s Eric Clapton and Sting-like melodies. In this release, Doyle reaches deeper into the realms of human experience to artfully address environmental issues and the world at large.

Doyle has found his niche, and he sticks to it. The tracks are quite homogenous in that they are composed of the same elements, with some variations here and there. It makes for a comfortable listen for those whose taste is the same, all the more that the quality of the album’s production and instrumentation are excellent. Most tracks begin slower than they end, thanks to a backing choir that kicks in at or around the first chorus, and an electric guitar solo adds to the “soaring” factor of many of them at various moments.

There are some fluctuations, but very mild ones: “Rosemary’s Wishes” and “Everything” have a hint of country ballad to them, while the sound in “Living in Our Dream” and “Favorite Places” are a little bit closer to what one would hear nowadays on a pop rock radio station. “Something for You” brings the biggest change, with a cello kicking things off and carrying more of the tune.

The desire for a better world is Doyle’s main inspiration but he doesn’t shy away from its problems. In “Favorite Places”, he shares how he favors going to reflect in the midst of nature but that, “With every new disaster/The earth cries in pain/If we don’t learn to care for her/We’ll lose our favorite place”. And yet, the lyrics are for the most part quite sweet and endearing in their relentless optimism.

In “Cold Rain”, Doyle calls for the “rain, rain” to “go away” while thanking it “for the cold water on [his] face”. This makes for one of the potentially darkest moments in the album, when Doyle discusses loneliness and despair in “We Are Here”, to be instead inspiring when he encourages listeners to proclaim to “Raise [their] arms into the air/Say [they] are here” and to “Show them that [they] care”.

Source: blogcritics

‘On The Horizon’ weaves melancholy into melody like straw spun into gold.
by Jenn Bress
TJ Doyle Band’s sophomore release On the Horizon is brimming with a direct sincerity and faith in humanity. Doyle chronicles his morals and beliefs using harmonic choruses that sing out triumphantly full of positive gospel.

The TJ Doyle Band recorded On the Horizon at Studio City Sound with Grammy Award winning mixer Tom Weir who truly captures the delicate interplay of instruments that underscore the album. On the Horizon is fastened by the vulnerability of Doyle’s vocals that coo with an enigmatic and humble Neil Young charisma. Doyle writes powerful lyrics that are honest and stunningly forthright. It’s as if he’s reading pages from his diary while behind him, guitars bend and strum with the dainty restraint of rice paper flipped through fingers.

On ‘Cold Rain’ one of the darker tracks on the album, the guitar tones perfectly match the ominous lyrics, piano keys twinkle like raindrops and gospel like harmonies part the clouds of the track. This allows the listener to still retain a sense of hope, an effect that is constant throughout the album. The overarching positivity and sense of aspiration offers the album universal appeal. On the Horizon would be such a good pick me up for someone going through tough times or looking for a little inspiration.

‘Something for You’ is really the track that stands out most for me. The lyrics question our fast paced society but the song remains positive with the assertion that there really is something out there for everyone, no matter how overwhelming life can be. Yet again, a sense of positivity shines brightly throughout the song, but beams forth as the track’s chorus fans out in its exhilarating gospel choir style. With frank tenderness, ‘On The Horizon’ weaves melancholy into melody like straw spun into gold.

The TJ Doyle Band always retain an expectant faith that kindness is a human constant, no matter what darkness might loom in its midst.

Source: indiemunity