Our love for music is a tool that has always been used to build strong connections and community, and that is exactly what former Hey Rosetta! frontman Tim Baker set out to do in his sophomore album The Festival, released on Oct. 21.

With roots that trace back to Newfoundland, Baker was the lead singer for the indie-rock septet from 2005 to 2017, when the band announced an indefinite hiatus from making music. This opened up an opportune solo career for Baker, and he released his debut solo album Forever Overhead in 2019, drawing in multiple nominations from the Juno Awards and the East Coast Music Awards. The success of his first solo album created intense anticipation for more music to come.

Baker has been teasing his audience with periodic singles from the album since May, eventually releasing his four-track EP Echo Park in September. These four songs promised a lyrically-driven, beautifully orchestrated 10-track album for Baker’s fans — and he did not disappoint.

Launched exactly eight years after the release of Hey Rosetta!’s final album, Baker’s The Festival opens with raw piano, which seems to act as Baker’s reliable companion throughout the album. From its somber, simple melody in the opening number, Lucky Few, to its polyphonic contrast in Some Day, to its light accompaniment in Jungle Suite, Baker’s piano not only serves as his right-hand man, but also acts as a comforting hand-to-hold throughout the emotional rollercoaster of this album.

While the keys often take a front seat beside Baker’s simple yet authentic lyrics, the blend of background vocals and unique percussion makes its mark across the album.

Yet, there are constant and pleasant surprises throughout the tracklist. In My Kind, the entire first verse is completely a cappella, with heart-wrenching harmonies and vocables that cause the listener to truly connect with the lyrics. And before the audience can find any repetition within the album, Baker throws in some bohemian instrumentation. Invoking the sounds of the Beach Boys in his song Echo Park, Baker places the listener on the West Coast as he sings about moving from St. John’s to Los Angeles.

But it’s the consistent themes of connection and community that make this album a must-listen, especially after two years of pandemic isolation and loneliness. This is most evident in songs like Year of the Dog and After The Storm, which touch on how the pain of the past can draw people together through mutual love and understanding.

“Thank you for coming

For bringing all of your pain and suffering

How else could you show me

How we need to love?”

This is a stark contrast from his 2019 debut solo album, Forever Overhead, which frequently touches on themes of loneliness and self-reflection. Yet, Baker’s emotional vulnerability is easily translated from his first album to his second, truly demonstrating the complexity of the human experience. While the themes differ, his complex discography allows the listener to always find a song to connect with on either album. Rest assured, the melodic piano stays true as Baker’s constant confidant in Forever Overhead just as it does in The Festival.

While The Festival stays close to Baker’s roots, it also reveals new sides to his creativity that his fans haven’t heard before. His raw, stripped-down vocals and simplistic instrumentation in songs like Jungle Suite and My Kind help him stand apart from his past works with a full band.

However, for the listener who still holds Hey Rosetta! close to their heart, the title track offers an intense, swelling orchestra that concludes the album perfectly. Ultimately, Baker’s work has a little something for each of his fans, which makes it the perfect album to play on repeat any day.

Baker is set to perform in Toronto on Dec. 9 at Massey Hall, where his fans can enjoy this masterfully constructed artistry straight from its creator.