Annie Williams
This Mountain / Midnight Window
Springfield, MO
“Americana vibes with intoxicating female vocals”
The first thing that hits you when you listen to Annie Williams is the purity of her voice. The second thing is the purity of her lyrics. Her voice is infectious…listening to the vocal inflections Williams is so versed in keeps you wanting more. Sweet and pure, yet full of dynamics. This Mountain / Midnight Window, a collection of two EPs by Williams, is a record you should hear, one that aches for the world as it should be and so rarely is. This double disc is full of one burnished little beauty after the next. And while each disc is completely different in tone, they’re clearly coming from the same spirit.
“Midnight Window,” the second song on the disc by the same name, opens so sparsely, with just the haunting beat of a drum under her graceful voice. Distorted electric guitar plays faded in the background when the chorus kicks in. It’s in that understatement of musical elegance that lies Williams’ real strength of mind, but don’t let that pretty little voice fool you. She can hold her own and packs just as much punch as other female artists like Feist and Neko Case.
“Closer,” from This Mountain, is pure eloquence, bringing to mind the commercial likeness of Dido with the emotional weight of Shawn Colvin. It rolls around in your head, taking you to a philosophical place of pondering life against death. It shows just how serious a songwriter Williams can be.
This Mountain / Midnight Window takes us on a journey with Annie Williams, a journey to places in her life and in her head. (Self-released)