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California native
Van William
(aka
Van Pierszalowski
) has been kicking around the music industry since the mid-2000s, first fronting the indie folk combo
Port O'Brien
, then later forming the glossier rock outfit
WATERS
. Achieving a modicum of commercial success and some critical respect for each project, he's always been a little tough to pin down in terms of direction and style. While the more organically inclined
showed wild flourishes of creativity, the young singer/songwriter still seemed to be finding his artistic footing.
, on the other hand, brandished the kind of big pop sound that seemed deliberately aimed for chart success. That's not to say that
Countries
,
William
's debut as a solo artist, entirely puts all the pieces together, but it does come across as his most honest release to date. Loosely billed as a break-up record,
is by no means a brooding soundtrack to heartbreak. A sort of wayfaring narrative of life's emotional peaks, valleys, and the road to healing,
opts for a panoramic folk-rock tone that is ultimately optimistic. Folkier than
and hookier than
, the sound isn't quite rough-edged, but there is something almost Midwestern in its appeal, like the graying of West Coast dreaming into fly-over state realism. You can hear it in aptly titled standouts like "The Country" and "The Middle," where
's inherent knack for strong melodicism meets a newfound warmth and authenticity. With no band name to hide behind, the journeyman musician has chosen a pleasingly mature and introspective set of songs to represent his first solo outing. ~ Timothy Monger
Van William
(aka
Van Pierszalowski
) has been kicking around the music industry since the mid-2000s, first fronting the indie folk combo
Port O'Brien
, then later forming the glossier rock outfit
WATERS
. Achieving a modicum of commercial success and some critical respect for each project, he's always been a little tough to pin down in terms of direction and style. While the more organically inclined
showed wild flourishes of creativity, the young singer/songwriter still seemed to be finding his artistic footing.
, on the other hand, brandished the kind of big pop sound that seemed deliberately aimed for chart success. That's not to say that
Countries
,
William
's debut as a solo artist, entirely puts all the pieces together, but it does come across as his most honest release to date. Loosely billed as a break-up record,
is by no means a brooding soundtrack to heartbreak. A sort of wayfaring narrative of life's emotional peaks, valleys, and the road to healing,
opts for a panoramic folk-rock tone that is ultimately optimistic. Folkier than
and hookier than
, the sound isn't quite rough-edged, but there is something almost Midwestern in its appeal, like the graying of West Coast dreaming into fly-over state realism. You can hear it in aptly titled standouts like "The Country" and "The Middle," where
's inherent knack for strong melodicism meets a newfound warmth and authenticity. With no band name to hide behind, the journeyman musician has chosen a pleasingly mature and introspective set of songs to represent his first solo outing. ~ Timothy Monger
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