Music : End of the Summer
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0793018283021
Label: Razor & Tie
Manufacturer: Razor & Tie
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Razor & Tie
Release Date: July 15, 1997
Sales Rank: 21603
Studio: Razor & Tie
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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
Dar Williams's End of the Summer finds her following in the techno-folkie footsteps of Suzanne Vega and Rickie Lee Jones. Most of the tracks feature muscular rhythms provided by Sammy Merendino's programmed drum loops, and thickened textures provided by layers of electric and acoustic guitars. This new approach pays dividends for a singer/songwriter whose thin soprano and coffeehouse lyrics have often proven underwhelming in the past. Here she is encouraged by producer Steven Miller to cram as many words as possible into the herky-jerky verses and then release the tension with a chorus of simple statements and catchy melody. This allows her to run verbal riffs on slackers in "Party Generation," on therapy in "What Do You Hear in These Sounds," and on middle age in "Teenagers, Kick Our Butts." Some of these riffs are witty and some aren't, but they pay off in satisfying refrains where Williams's wispy voice is surrounded by belt-it-out harmony singers. While the title tune is Williams at her dreary, maudlin worst, another ballad, "If I Wrote You" (with harmonies by Shindell), proves the techno-folkie formula can work even at slow tempos. --Geoffrey Himes
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
Himes writes that the song "End Of The Summer" is Dar at her "dreary, maudlin, worst". Well, he certainly missed the beauty of that piece, didn't he? Too bad for him, it is one of the most moving songs I know. The title track captures perfectly a wistful, pensive state of mind when you know that a whole season of being care-free in bare feet is rapidly coming to a close. A song that can capture that feeling that this transitional season brings out in may of us seems to me a rare achievement. The lines "And I feel like the neighbor's girl who will never be the same" and "I passed the farms that made it through the last days of the century", strike such a particularly deep chord with me, I can't really express it in words.
Rating: -
First, Dar Williams is amazing! If you're looking for a place to start your Dar collection, I'd say End of the Summer is the best place to begin (only slightly edging out Mortal City). For me, this is just a more cohesive album, which is odd considering the variety of the music. The upbeat "Party Generation" blends perfectly into the soft and beautiful pain of "If I Wrote You." The rocking "Teenagers, Kick Our Butts" falls gracefully into the quiet and alarmingly beautiful "My Friends." Dar never misses a step! She somehow holds everything wonderfully together. The album opens with "Are You Out There?" questioning whether we can find ourselves, even when we feel most awkward and alone, in music that speaks so clearly to us - just like an old friend. With End of the Summer, Dar Williams answers that question with an affirmative yes! This will become a dear friend that will leave you longing to visit the Mortal City to discover more.
Rating: -
"End of the Summer" is Dar's most upbeat CD. The songs have a much faster tempo than previous CDs. The best song on the album is "Are You Out There" about listening to the radio and feeling connected to the DJ. "Party Generation" is a funny song about being in your 30s and partying with college students. "What Do You Hear in these Sounds" is a great song about being in therapy. "Teenagers Kick Our Butts" is about the generation behind you taking over. "If I Wrote You" is a slow, sad song.
Rating: -
Actually, END OF THE SUMMER was my introduction to Dar Williams, and I remember thinking "Wow" the first time after I heard the entire album. The soft drums and synthetic beats actually accentuate and increase the appreciation of the beautiful guitars, not to mention Williams' raw, emotional, yet poignant lyrics saturate neary (if not every) all the songs on this immensely gratifying CD.
I believe one of the things that makes it accessible is its very diverse content. On here you will not find trite love ballads or meaningless pop tunes. Every song, or every songs' content, is completely different from the next. From riffs about slackers to an ode to friendship to songs dedicated to late-night TV watching to an unusual but intriguing soft acoustic about what its title (and the CD's title) implicates. The album even deals with (in a very mature song pumped by whispy drums and twangy guitars) anti-consumerism. The whole thing ends with an optimistic note, "Better Things", which almost serves as a reprise to "What Do You Hear In These Sounds?"
Bottom line: I recommend this song both to newcomers of Dar and Dar devotees. It might be different from her usual stuff, but the whole album works and is totally listenable. I actually find myself listening to this album more than any other I own. Listening to it is like witnessing a whole world busily at work with its inhabitants. If you're an acoustic/folk fan (or just love great music) I highly recommend this ... Read More
Rating: -
I realize this one won't please the folk purists but I think this is probably Dar's most interesting piece of work.
"Are you out there?" is my favorite Dar Williams composition. My mind is racing and my spirits soars everything I hear those opening beats. It's really an incredible piece of work. Not traditional folk but then again Dar is really an artist who transcends genre.
Highly recommended to all fans.
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