Album Review: "A Place in the Sun" by Rob Williams
Photo Credit: www.robwilliamsacoustic.com
As the lead singer and guitarist of the former alt-rock band Joe Buck, Jr., Rob Williams made a name for himself around the Richmond area by writing smart, catchy pop songs with a slight indie-rock tilt. Williams' solo debut, A Place in the Sun, retains the pop sensibility that made Joe Buck, Jr. albums serious diamonds in the rough (...used to be somebody, in particular), but where his former band embraced a certain garage band aesthetic, A Place in the Sun takes a turn down an old country lane, into the twangy, dust-filled territory of Americana. Or Alt-Country. Whichever you'd like to call it. I'm going to stick with Americana.
Williams' earnest, down-but-not-out voice has always been one of his more endearing characteristics, and on A Place in the Sun he uses it to dispense little nuggets of wisdom that, to an extent, would hardly seem out of place in a work of classic literature: "When you hear a siren's song, beware nothing there lasts too long," and "I could not begin to notice that surrounding me was the fortune that I longed to see, right here all this time," are the two that instantly come to mind.
Beyond the idiosyncrasies of his voice and his undeniable talent as a lyricist, Williams' is also, simply put, an incredibly gifted songwriter. The former high school history teacher has always had a penchant for penning infectious choruses, and that unique skill crops up on almost every track on A Place in the Sun. Right off the bat, the listener is hit with the up-tempo rocker "Whiskey in the Morning," and while it's an outstanding ditty that calls to mind "No Depression" era Uncle Tupelo - in terms of subject matter (alcohol) and chord progression - it's interesting to note that it almost didn't make it to the recording studio.
"I couldn't decide whether it was too stupid to record or not," says Williams on his website. "but I ultimately decided to put my faith in the old saying that risks yield rewards."
Williams' faith in the song paid off, indeed, as it is one of the most instantly memorable songs on the entire record.
After "Whiskey in the Morning," the album downshifts to a slower, more sustainable pace, but by no means at the expense of song quality. "When You're Better" features the first duet ever recorded by Williams, and captures the difficulties of trying to maintain a relationship with an individual who is deep in the throes of substance addiction. The refrain, "I'll be your sad song," is effective and memorable, and is made all the more poignant by Williams and Sarah Brawley's interweaving vocal work.
The album's closer, "Selvaggia Borromeo," is a short (the second shortest song on the album, to be exact), beautiful, acoustic-driven number that not only gives the listener one hell of a send-off, but also features one of the most memorable choruses ever written by Williams. And when your discography contains such ear worm classics as "Asbury Park," "Victoria Ray," and "Someday I Will Treat You Good," that is certainly no small compliment.
All things considered, A Place in the Sun is a successful record that captures all the things that Williams did well as a member of Joe Buck, Jr. and re-imagines them within the context of Americana. Any fans of Uncle Tupelo, Dawes, or Wilco's early material will find plenty to admire in A Place in the Sun. The songs, all of which were written by Williams, are catchy enough to draw you in at first listen, and lyrically deep and musically intricate enough to warrant repeated spins - or should I say "clicks," since a small minority of people actually listen to music on things that spin, nowadays.
On his website, Williams questions the importance of track order on contemporary records, because, he notes, few folks seem to listen to albums from beginning to end in this Digital Age of ours. Well, if you've got the time to listen to A Place in the Sun all the way through, and the uniquely post-Y2K thirst for instant gratification hasn't completely sucked your attention span down the drain, I recommend you give it a shot. It's more than well worth your time.
Also: if you're interested in finding out the deeper meanings behind each of the songs, head on over to Williams' website, www.robwilliamsacoustic.com. There you will find brief anecdotes that explain the inspiration behind each of the 11 tracks.
discoholicmusic
origamiaround
kaledo-art
titsay
izzy806
gummygunk
