So impressed was I with Tim “Tuvok” Russ’s self-published EP a couple of years ago that I happily picked up his new solo effort, backed up by Neil Norman and the Cosmic Orchestra (a band which is fast gaining a reputation as the de facto musical ensemble at science fiction conventions) and released on Norman’s GNP Crescendo Records label. And Russ still has it – the guy can sing. And covers such as “Crossroads” and “Money Talks” demonstrate that Russ may be missing his greatest calling: the man is a fantastic blues vocalist. He has all the pre-requisite growliness necessary to pass muster with the blues, which you might not guess from hearing him emotionlessly intone technobabble every week on Voyager.
Some other surprising covers also emerge: Cat Stevens’ “Where Do The Children Play?”, Randy Newman’s Louisiana (the only holdover from Tim’s Only A Dream In Rio EP), Bruce Hornsby’s “Great Divide”, and Stephen Stills’ sixties anthem, Love The One You’re With. There are also three originals: “I Can’t Imagine”, “Crazy”, and “Strangers”, the latter two of which especially hint at some hidden songwriting talent. “Crazy” makes a couple of humorous references to Tim’s sudden rise to fame – and that’s as close as this 
album comes to having any connection to Star Trek.
For Tim’s fan following, those curious to hear a Star Trek alumnus who doesn’t belong on a Golden Throats collection, and those who’d like to hear some better-than-decent music by someone that not a lot of people associate with music, I recommend this one.
- I Can’t Imagine (3:20)
- Can’t Do It Like That (3:03)
- I Would Stop The World (5:10)
- Crossroads (2:45)
- Money Talks (4:06)
- Where Do The Children Play (3:18)
- Crazy (3:48)
- Louisiana (3:03)
- Strangers (3:54)
- Great Divide (4:06)
- Love The One You’re With (3:12)
Released by: GNP/Crescendo Records
Release date: 2000
Total running time: 39:49
