Music : Promised Land
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0793018299626
Label: Razor & Tie
Manufacturer: Razor & Tie
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Razor & Tie
Release Date: September 09, 2008
Sales Rank: 502
Studio: Razor & Tie
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Editorial Review:
Album Description:
One of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of her generation, Dar Williams has been engaging audiences with her musical artistry since the early 1990s when she rose from the Northeast coffeehouse circuit to the national spotlight. Dar releases her first studio in 2008 after three years, Promised Land. Produced by Brad Wood (Pete Yorn, Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins), the album features 12 reflective songs that introduce a new Pop sound for Dar Williams. Lending support on the album are such renowned artists as Suzanne Vega and Marshall Crenshaw. Promised Land is sure to connect with Dar fans old and new. 'Williams infuses intelligent songwriting with comforting melodies.' - Relix. 'A new generation of pop-folk enthusiasts lauds her as one of the genre's central figures.'- Paste
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
I had never heard of Dar Williams before hearing an interview with her on NPR. Intrigued by the pieces of songs played as part of that interview, I bought Promised Land.
It contains a wonderfully varied set of songs, all with interesting settings and well sung. Williams has a wonderful voice that she uses well to enhance both the sound her music and the meaning behind the lyrics -- although sometimes that makes it hard to hear the exact words. I quickly found myself singing parts of them to myself during the day, Some, like "The Business of Things" can really stay with you.
As a university professor of psychology, I was bowled over the first time I heard "Buzzer." I can think of know other recording based on a psychology experiment, even one as famous as Milgrim's work on obedience.
Rating: -
IMHO, Dar just keeps getting better & better. This is great songwriting, supported with great arrangements/production, and a beautiful voice. I think this CD will satisfy folkies and rockers alike. Dar's songs are intelligent & insightful, so it is likely they will never be played on dumbed-down-I-struggled-thru-eighth-grade Commerical FM. And that is too bad because this is excactly the kind of stuff we should play for our friends who think there has been no good music since they left college 20-30 years ago. I like every song on here, although "Buzzer" is particularly appropriate to the turmoil & political failure we are experiencing in the US today. I highly recommend this to everyone.
Rating:  -
I've been a fan of Dar's since the beginning. I purchased the Honesty Room before it was on Razor and Tie and I think her first three albums are some of the best albums of the nineties. However, unlike Diane Zeigler whose debut album came out around the same time as the Honesty Room and has remained consistent although not as prolific, Dar's work has gotten progressively less interesting. I still like it -- just not as much as I did.
I was excited when I read that she was working with producer Brad Wood and was going for a more pop sound on this record, but the results were more to the folk end of the spectrum. Don't get me wrong - I love folk music -- but this album was just not very interesting.
It's funny. When I got this record I popped it in my car player and one song really jumped out at me -- Troubled Times. I thought, "Wow. That's the best song that Dar has written in years. What a great melody." Then I read the liner notes and found out it was written by Collingwood and Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne. No wonder it had a great hook.
I don't dislike this album; I just don't like it that much either.
Rating: -
Great writing as always, and the vocals are gorgeous. Troubled Times gives goosebumps. Suzanne Vega and Dar sound perfect together on Go the the Woods. What a talented artist!
Rating: -
While some reviews may suggest that this album didn't quite live up to Dar's previous efforts, I have to say, I LOVE this album. It hasn't left my cd player since I finally got the chance to listen to it a couple of weeks ago. Every track seems to have some ultra-clever snippet of lyrics that just draws you into the song as you wait to hear what's coming next. This, plus the catchy tempo of "It's Alright" hooked me with the first verse. My favorite track has to be "Into The Woods". How can you not love a song with lyrics that include a "windy-path, angry a@@ woman who will eat you?" The unexpected vocals by Suzanne Vega on this song was also a wonderful surprise. Dar is capable of some amazing ballads as well. Her vocals are particularly beautiful on "Holly Tree", whose folksy style blends perfectly with the lyrics about a farmer's pregnant widow. "Buzzer" is another one of those lyrical gems, this one about a test subject in the Milgram social psychology experiments from the early 60s. Like Kris Delmhorst, one of my other favorite songwriters, Dar Williams is one of those rare artists that can paint entire landscapes with only the lyrics to her songs. That she can set them to such well-crafted tunes is just an added bonus indeed.
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