Although she is not a household name quite yet, she has a large following, and has performed many times all over the country.
I have heard a lot of great things about Dar Williams; people seem to love her. I had never listened to her for some unknown reason, after all, she is exactly the kind of musician I love, and she has been equated with some of my favorites: Ani Difranco, Shawn Colvin, Joan Baez, and Joni Mitchell. So, in thinking about and celebrating the strength and wisdom of women, I decided to give Dar Williams a try, and see what she had to say. I only wish I had discovered her sooner.
I chose to focus on her latest CD, End of Summer, which is a more pop oriented album than her others. Her first, Honesty Room is a more simple, folk album which centers around vocals and acoustic guitar. Mortal City, the second release is more musically complex and includes other instruments, including additional voices with special guest singers.
This third CD has come a long way from her first album. Dar experiments with her sound, creating upbeat and energetic songs such as Are You Out There and Party Generation that prove she can rock out with the best of them. Her talent is not only in her guitar playing and song writing, but also in her range and innocent yet intense voice. It is not hard to hear her folk roots. Her voice is soft and clear, and her lyrics are introspective, poetic and give a fresh, youthful yet intelligent commentary on life, friendship, and feelings.
End of Summer describes Dar’s experiences being on the road and seeing America. She sings about self-discovery and, in songs like Teenagers, Kick our Butts, encourages listeners to be true to themselves and find their own voice:
And when the media try to act your age
don’t be seduced, they’re full of rage
find your voice, do what it takes
make sure you make lots of mistakes
to find the future that redeems
give us hell, give us dreams
and grow and grow and grow.
Dar Williams is not a teenager herself; she is in her early 30s; however, her outlook and her lyrics are easy to identify with and demonstrate her constant growth as a woman and as a musician.
Although she is not a household name quite yet, she has a large following, and has performed many times all over the country. She toured with Joan Baez, a folk legend, and participated in the Lillith Fair, as well as various folk festivals. Dar Williams is definitely coming into her own, and reinforcing the fact that women are rocking the charts and the music scene.
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