Van William - Countries (2018)

As a member of the indie rock bands Waters and Port O'Brien, Van William has already gained some experience in the music business, but as a soloist, the songwriter from San Luis Obispo, southern California, is breaking new ground. Countries is the debut album of the end of 1984 as Van Pierszalowski born musician, but you can clearly tell him the knowledge gained over the last ten years, because Countries could be a little better entry into the folk-pop world. The album shines through catchy hook-rich melodies as well as through introspective, reduced arrangements.

Lovesickness still seems to be an important drive for musicians to write good songs. In the case of Van William this was the case, as the single "Revolution" was created, in which the Swedish folk pop sisters of First Aid Kit contribute lovely, bittersweet vocals in the time of the first big heartbreak. In spite of this, Van William does not fall into depression, not even in a kind of melancholy, much too elated "Revolution", with winds and "Uhuhuh" listening, The Lumineers for advanced. Even the entry into the album is unleashed with the exuberant "Before I Found You", including numerous "Hey" calls. This fury can be really difficult to escape. And Van William just goes on like this and seems to shake off the offensive-ensnaring melodies, because "Fourth Of July" gushes with "Ohohoh" songs just like that.

The whole exuberant energy is screwed down a bit for "The Country", the result is a longing, harmonic-elegant folk-rock track, which of course in the chorus swings the hook-club, but in a very romantic way for a change "Do not Take My Love" has the most beautiful folk noir influences, and "Never Had Enough Of You" has been studied very well by Van William Neil Young, one of his musical heroes. The string-intensive "The Middle" is pretty sad, while the equally sparingly instrumentalized "Skyward" sinks into bombastic indie rock at the end. Very pretty is the tender "You'll Be On My Mind", but in "Cosmic Signs" Van William exaggerates it with the good-mood-street musician-style. One can not be angry with him for a long time, because the final "Taking Love", which has decayed from the gentle melancholy and loveliness, again shows William as a filigree and yearning bard. And he is really good at it.

TRACKLIST

01. Before I Found You
02. Revolution feat. First Aid Kit
03. Fourth Of July
04. The Country
05. Don't Take My Love
06. Never Had Enough Of You
07. The Middle
08. Skyward 0
09. You'll Be On My Mind
10. Cosmic Sign
11. Taking Love