Tamar Berk’s new album is reviewed and she answers the Pure Pop Phive

By Henry Lipput

tiny injuries

Tamar Berk’s new album tiny injuries (Bandcamp) hits the ground rocking and then opens up to include heart-felt and heartbreaking ballads and, with the addition of horns, she builds on her already extensive musical palette. Berk plays the quiet, acoustic card when she needs to and she and her band knows how to bring the loud guitars.

Berk has a songwriter’s gift for collecting the important parts of overheard conversations between lovers and friends especially the ones that signal the end (my favorite line is from the ballad “what’s become of me, my friend” with its feel of a self-created breakup “be what I want and maybe I’ll stay”).

Now living in California and having grown up in Chicago, Berk has written what might otherwise be throwaway lines but instead illustrate how she also uses her own life and memories in her songs.  On “if you know, u know” she sings “and I haven’t seen snow in over three years” and in “sunday driving” it’s not clear whether the trip is to or from Chicago but “then you’ll say ‘you’ll be okay 3000 miles away.’”

Perhaps even more importantly, Berk creates the melodies to those lyrics that conjure up the feelings her words have. “if you know, u know” starts with the line “The sun comes up and I’m already down” and the music reflects the feeling of knowing it’s not going to be a good day. The music of the piano-based ballad “cash out” has a sense of resignation as things come to an end in a relationship and there’s anger in both the words and music of “another drop in the bucket.” And if you’re looking for a positive message from a strong woman who’s had enough just take a listen to “gonna call it,” Berk’s version of Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” (it certainly sounds like he’s playing piano on the track).

The Pure Pop Phive

Tamar answers the PPP, the questions all the cool kids are talking about:

How would you describe your music?

I’ve heard indie pop, pop rock, power pop, alt pop. I don’t know…what do you think?

What/who are your major influences?

Beatles, Classical, Elliot Smith, early Liz Phair, Lana Del Rey, David Bowie

Do you perform live? Do you have any upcoming gigs?

I do perform live and currently I’m working on booking some shows, but I am more of a loner and prefer being in my studio writing and recording rather than playing live…so I really have to push myself to get out there!

How do you support yourself so you can continue to make music?

Sell music, sell paintings, freelance VoiceOver and composing, and using my savings! Yikes!

What’s an album you can’t live without (that's not one of yours)?

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie