Tim Vitullo was running out of time.

After spending nine months and thousands of dollars in the studio, he found himself still without new music. It became clear after listening to the final mixes that his attempt at a new record was a failure. Having spent the four years since his last release touring the country at a grueling pace, the pressure to catch his audience’s attention with a follow-up had reached its peak. It was at this moment that Vitullo was forced to face every artist’s greatest fear:

“How do I avoid being forgotten?”

The failure was emotionally and financially devastating to Tim, a totally independent artist. Would he and the band be able to find the time, energy, and resources necessary to redo the album? Further complicating things, they simultaneously needed to fill a vacancy left by their recently departed pianist and continue their rigorous tour schedule. The challenge seemed insurmountable.

Yet, Tim and the band did as they always had before. They pressed on.

Propelled by a sense of urgency, Tim rallied his group, the Tim Vitullo Band (TVB), to record with friend and collaborator Mike Smales at his Applekid Studios in the band’s hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. This attempt would forego the state-of-the-art recording console and celebrated producer to instead see Tim and David Fix, TVB’s bassist and backup vocalist, self-produce the album.

The band continued to face challenges throughout the recording process. Now reduced to a trio, decisions needed to be made to fill the void left by the piano and keyboards in the group’s sound. Both Tim and Dave found Applekid to be a fertile ground for experimentation. They ultimately opted for a “back to basics” sound that showcases Vitullo’s guitar chops and recalls his earlier work as a session player and “gun for hire.” The trio modified their performances from the prior sessions to create a rock aesthetic that abandons the horn section and keys of Vitullo’s past projects. The band evolved.

Completed at a breakneck pace and on a shoestring budget, the Applekid sessions resulted in the aptly titled Running out of Time, Tim Vitullo’s triumphant sophomore LP.

Running out of Time showcases Vitullo’s growth as a songwriter and performer. His Americana influences and experiences touring with the Tim Vitullo Band are on full display throughout the tracks. Songs like “Monongahela Valley,” “Daily Bread,” and “Running out of Time” all feature soaring, catchy choruses nestled within tight, efficient arrangements. These key ingredients are packaged alongside Vitullo’s signature guitar pyrotechnics, Brent McConnell’s powerful drumming, Fix’s bass acrobatics, and the band’s three-part vocal harmonies.

Running out of Time follows up on the success of 2015’s Josephine & Assorted Train Songs, Vitullo’s debut LP. That album serves as a portrait of “contemporary blues” music that borrows as much from Vitullo’s jazz, jam band, & country influences as it does the American blues tradition. Josephine & Assorted Train Songs was produced, engineered, & mixed by Steven Foxbury.

Prior to this, Vitullo established himself as an exciting, young jazz composer & improviser in State College, PA with the release of This is the Thing! in 2012. That EP, which doubles as Tim’s undergraduate thesis, explores bebop, Brazilian bossa nova, modal jazz, & fusion genres through a handful of Tim’s original compositions. The album was produced by Dr. Stephen Hopkins, who is also featured on piano.

Currently, Tim is performing regularly with the TVB in the Northeast, Midwest, & Atlantic Coast regions of the United States in support of Running out of Time. He proudly endorses The Rock Slide guitar slides and is happy to already be preparing material for a follow-up album to be recorded in 2020.