1978 Tim Maia “Tim Maia” on Seroma

One of the uncountably great things about Tim Maia is that a high percentage of his records are titled “Tim Maia”. What a genius move! None of this Zeppelin III nonsense for Tim. So, really the only way to speak accurately about a particular record in a large discography is to go by release date. I think two of my three longest posts concern Tim Maia, going into his history, the whole Universe In Disenchantment cult, his music, his band, how truly and deeply I love his voice, etc. So, I’ll just talk specifically about this record, although another of the uncountably great things about Tim Maia is how consistently top action pretty much all his records are. Anyway, 1978 is the Tim Grail, at least in terms of rarity and price, and it would be depressing if that was because all the titles are English, and he sings almost entirely in English, so this is less the usual Bossa-psych soul groove bomb, and more a Motown-soul, slickly arranged horns-and-backup chicks ballads workout. I mean, it’s great, I’d happily listen to Tim doing an Acker Bilk cover album, but why this record for the generally 1.5k price tag? It’s super-raw and emotional and earnest harmony soul. It’s full of killer spare Shuggie Otis-style guitar parts. It is the last 70’s release on Seroma, the label he formed when Polydor refused to put out the Rational records. I guess it also bombed, selling so few copies that they may have pulped the back stock, explaining the current market. In any case, if you ever wondered what it would be like to listen to an album that sounds like a newly sober Tim Maia impersonator doing Marvin Gaye covers with a Barry Gordy production style and occasional lapses into Portuguese, this is the record for you. Killer.