Full Review

Dar Williams – My Better Self

Since her debut album, each of Dar’s albums has seen her incorporate new elements and styles in her writing and sound, but ‘My Better Self’ a measured mix of her previous releases and everything here sounds natural and unforced.

The album has a general theme of politics and idealism but in a very personal manner as it mixes songs of love and emotions with tracks that highlight social and environmental issues; while this subject matter is often covered by other songwriters, she manages it without preaching and deals with things in a delicate and engaging way. From the obvious single choice of ‘Echoes’ which highlights the big impact every small action can have, through to ‘Empire’ an intelligent commentary on the US administration the songs are all melody led and easily accessible.

The disc contains 13 excellent songs with 2 notable covers, Neil Young’s ‘Everybody Knows this is Nowhere’ is a track where she trades verses with Marshall Crenshaw who also adds a memorable guitar solo; and she teams up with Ani Difranco for an unlikely and inventive cover of ‘Comfortably Numb’.

This album, perhaps a little more than her past couple of discs, confidently and successfully mixes her acoustic, folk based tracks with more instrumentally complex and contemporary sounding songs.

Highlights include the opener ‘Teen for God’, the Neil Young cover ‘Everybody Knows..’, and especially the albums two closing songs, ‘You Rise and Meet the Day’ and ‘Hudson’ are beautiful acoustic numbers.

‘My Better Self’ is easily her best album of the few years and possibly the strongest collection of songs she’s put together. A memorable and though-provoking album. Highly recommended.