End of the Summer Music

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by: Dar Williams

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Customer Reviews
Average Rating: Rating: - No weak spots! Yes, this is an amazing album, with sweet harmonies, intelligent and poetic lyrics, great storytelling, and some excellent production -- not too sweet or pop-oriented, but full and rich. Although those who have listened to Dar in the Northampton Folk scene on her rise to stardom often prefer her earlier, more raw works, I think this album represents, finally, the full blossom of her musicianship. Some of Dar's best songs are here; the album contains gems all the way through, from the beautiful ballad "If I wrote you" with vocals added by Richand Shindell to radio favorites "What do you Hear in These Sounds" (also known as "the therapy song") and "Are You Out There." But the album is especially impressive because the whole THING bears repeated listening, over and over and over and over....don't miss the deep cuts: even the weakest songs here, like "Teenagers Kick our Butts," make for a fun romp; "My Friends" and "Party Generation" are amazing, too. Rather than rehashing what other reviews have said, I leave it at this: Dar's voice takes some getting used to -- like Sarah McLachlan, Dar "breaks" funny when going for the high notes, so her voice can sound weak and feathery when lyrics might otherwise call for emphasis -- but like a fine wine, this is a taste worth getting used to. Buy this album for any reason -- if you've never heard Dar before, if someone recommended her to you, if one your friends told you this was her weakest album (they're wrong; it's just more subtle than many realize), or if you just plain like good music. You won't be disappointed. Rating: - Different than past albums... The End of the Summer marks a change in Dar's music. While having some acoustic tracks ("The End of the Summer") this album focuses more upon working with the studios to produce a "different" sound that comes off a little uncharacteristic of Dar Williams. The thing is, it still works. The lyrics in this album are all-around phenomenal. "What do you hear in these sounds?" is a great song and anyone who's ever gone to therapy knows the simple truth she speaks. I have never been able to find another artist with lyrics quite so simple and yet meaningful. This album reaches closer to pop than the two previous albums (Mortal City and The Honesty Room) as well as the most recent (The Green World). I know she has been critsized for her deviation from the classic folk acoustic feel of her first albums that appears here, but i enjoy it. It's perhaps doesn't invoke the same impact as her acoustic songs...but it's very upbeat on the whole and fun to listen to. I recommend this CD highly...perhaps as a transition from pop to folk, but remember, The Green World and The Honesty Room are even better. Rating: - The Best Dar Williams Album Maybe it was just the right album at the right time for me, but to me this is Dar's finest work. She gets some sophisticated production and detailed arrangements, but it only complements her work. There's depth, sadness, and wild fun all on one album. "Are You Out There" is a great shout to anyone who ever stayed up late waiting for the distant stations to come in through the static. The title track remains poignant every time I listen to it. There was a time when this was the ONLY album I wanted to hear as the train rolled along the dark Hudson River on winter evenings.

End of the Summer Music

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