Just a glance at the cover of Tempus Fugit indicates that it's going to be one of the more personal releases from Vini Reilly. The cover is an extreme close-up of Reilly's gaunt face and nothing more. But where its immediate predecessor, the haunting death poem
Someone Else's Party, was soul-revealing, this release is a stark but exhilarating journey to the heart of Reilly's creative process. Some of the songs here are improvisations, reworkings of art-installation soundtracks, and snippets of lyrics and musical passages from the past. Gone are most of the drum machines and much of the sampling, and in their place is more focused and intense guitar strumming. And other than Jill Taylor's beautiful lullaby vocals on the wave-like "Shooting" and some ethereal humming, Reilly's voice is alone. Perhaps the primary reason Tempus Fugit seems to bare Reilly's songwriting soul is that it's the most acoustically centered album he's released in years. The interplay between his assured, chiming picking and his melancholic voice is unencumbered by most of the usual tricks and beats that paint many
Durutti Column songs into genre pieces. That's not to say Tempus Fugit isn't an eclectic listen, as bits of flamenco, opera, and even some wall-of-sound beats keep the album's pulse strong. At nearly 60 minutes in length, the album never drags or releases one's interest. Tempus Fugit is an emotional, vibrant musical masterstroke from an artist who seems to never release anything less. ~ Tim DiGravina