“Twilight Waltz,” the first solo effort from former Crow River Band frontman Luke Zimmerman, is an easygoing blend of folk, country and early 70s FM radio rock. The album’s opener, “If I Were King,” is reminiscent of Ben Folds’ piano-driven pop songs combined with the Beatles’ harmonious sensibility. This track is followed by “Duluth,” a hooky folk song with a hint of country twang and a vocal delivery that recalls Mason Jennings. The disc later moves away from the sounds of the ‘70s with “When You Are Mine,” a classic sounding country song about unrequited love that would fit right in on a Steve Earle album. “Amelia,” the downbeat closing track, is a song of heartache that takes on a distinctly 50s kind of vibe.

The overall tone of “Twilight Waltz” is pure melancholy. This theme is summed up by “New Moon,” a song tackling the age-old archetypes of lost love and youth. During the elegiac refrain, Zimmerman plaintively sings, “You and me will grow old soon/Tonight let’s dance beneath the new moon.”

“Twilight Waltz” is a solid solo debut for Zimmerman. His pleasant singing style falls somewhere in between that of Mason Jennings and early Bob Dylan and this compliments the mellow tone of the music perfectly. Zimmerman is poetic and descriptive lyricist, and those who like their folk combined with an ear for pop music should find plenty of enjoyment with this album. TH

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