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Reviews
Apr 19, 2006 8:46:06 GMT -1
Post by flurrrfy on Apr 19, 2006 8:46:06 GMT -1
post your Guiding Star Reviews HERE!! They can be from magazines/papers or ones of ur own!
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Reviews
Apr 19, 2006 8:46:50 GMT -1
Post by flurrrfy on Apr 19, 2006 8:46:50 GMT -1
Opening my monthly review package, was somewhat reminiscent of that Monty Python scene, where Terry Jones announces that the name of the Messiah, come to save humanity, is ‘Brian’, I found that my month’s work would be discussing the magnum opus of a bloke called Trev.
Striking a blow against stage names everywhere, Williams plays acoustic based music but fleshed out with a wealth of instruments effects and performers. With a background split between Manchester and Oxfordshire, and the contrast between the two areas, demonstrates the two strands in William’s song writing. One on hand offering numbers which informed by the gritty-yet-poppy sensibilities of Northern indie, but on the other lush introspective numbers, wish a broad sweep of instrumentation, seeming more indicative of the south-west countryside. ’All the Demons Have Gone’ kicks the album off, with the emphasis squarely on the former of these two influences. It bounces along and up into a catchy-feel good chorus, that could pass for The Coral or a variety of other full bands, rather all being the work of one man. The indie in Williams persona is brought out further in ‘Cut in Two’, it still has the catchy power of the albums opener, but with a bit more bite courtesy of a couple electric guitars. However, while willingness to experiment, is generally a plus point, it here lets Williams down, as the shifts to a clumsy vocoder coda. In other places however the attempt to make something other than just plucked primary chords and lyrical introspection, creates what are perhaps the finest moments on ‘Guiding Star.’ The album sees a trio of female backing singers backing Williams at various points throughout the album, and they are consistently employed intelligently. ‘Girlfriend’ has a captivating counter melody leaving a tension underlying Williams’ verses, which then opens out into a soft soothing chorus. The use of multi-layered vocals works again on the chorus of ‘I did it for you’ creating a sound reminiscent of Bryter Layer era Nick Drake. Even when guitars are exchanged for pianos, with the sombre balladry of ‘Is it greener now I’m gone’, it is the nigh-operatic backing that lifts the song out of the Turin Brakes tepidry.
As it breezes through ten tracks in thirty minutes, the songs of Guiding Star at times run the risk of merging into one another. As it whirls round the various aspects of Williams’ style, the impression is created is one of one long work, with standout flashes of catchy melodies, and clever arranging, rather than of stand-out or weaker tunes. Unfortunately this is both a pro and a con, since while it cohesively switches, from upbeat but edgy, to mellow and melancholy, this same continuity lets the album at times simply pass by. As the album closes with ‘If it makes you feel sad’ rather than creating a fuss about what the last 9 tracks have done, Guiding Star quietly lets itself out the back door, without creating too much fuss.
Open View, Oxford April 2006
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Reviews
Apr 24, 2006 11:07:49 GMT -1
Post by flurrrfy on Apr 24, 2006 11:07:49 GMT -1
Trev Williams - Guiding Star Sunday, 23 April 2006
'Girls. Huh! What are they good for?' The answer, in Faringdon-based singer-songwriter Trev Williams’ case is simple: backup vocals. The late-of-Manchester folk-rocker has surrounded himself with an Amazonian army of chanteuses, and the combination of Williams’ brilliant harmonic writing and their own technical and expressive gifts conspire to lift many of the tunes on this CD from the level of competent to that of memorable.
That said, there is a lot wrong with the record. Technically, the drum sound is shocking, as if it has been recorded in somebody’s wardrobe (that’s tough on James Dey, whose playing is flawless throughout). There are some catastrophic misjudgements: witness the piece of vocoder drivel at the end of one song which parodies an earlier Williams dud, 'Do You Miss Me?', and an ugly moment in the otherwise excellent 'Girlfriend', in which Williams loudly detunes his guitar in a puny attempt to sound experimental. More importantly, three or four of the ten-song set sound like filler. For example, 'When My Heart Skips a Beat' is anaemic piano rock, while 'If It Makes You Sad' is a colossal bore, being nothing more than a string of meaningless platitudes repeated ad nauseum over some trudging country rock.
But strip away the chaff and there are some gorgeous numbers. My favourite is perhaps the desolate, 'Is It Greener Now I’m Gone?' The song is gothic, in the nineteenth-century sense of the word: a romantic, barrelling piano riff stalks through the texture, as Williams sings of betrayed love: one can almost conjure up pictures of a doomed figure running away from some gargoyle-encrusted mansion, lashed by the elements and the curses of the ghosts trapped inside. This is signified by the astonishing modulation of the backing vocals from placid 'oohs' to shrieking operatic high Cs and culminating in a witching hour snarl. Blood-curdling, and hats off to Hannah Rhodes and Naomi Bullock for pulling off Williams’ ambitious coup.
There’s less sturm und drang in 'I Did It For You', which is quite simply a beautiful, lip-trembling love song. However, it’s far from artless: superb as Williams’ singing is (think a less distanced Cat Stevens), Rhodes’ harmonies are the standout. They are meltingly, almost painfully, beguiling and raise a decent tune into something loveable.
'Cut In Two' is clever prog-rock with the Stevens influence turned up high (for those that don’t know, Stevens could turn 'Three Blind Mice' into a five-act opera), but I prefer Williams in his normal mode of earnest acoustic balladeer rather than math-rock trickster. He is at his best in 'Girlfriend', which seems to be burdened by all the gaucheness, insecurity and pathos of first love. These feelings are evoked by myriad happy touches: the alternation of major and minor key, providing tension and the variation of Williams’ vocal from cracked, high-pitch appealing to conspiratorial mutter. But yet again, the backing singers are the real stars of the song. The strangely beautiful keening at the start is the perfect musical counterpart of the alien quality of women felt by teenage boys, while the lush, crowded breathiness of the girls’ singing in the middle has a genuine, unforced eroticism: you heard that right. Rhodes and Bullock have done what I thought impossible and made Trev Williams’ music sexy.
I sense the austere figure of the editor telling me to wrap up, so in summary: Williams has made a decent album which would have made a great EP. It will be interesting to see whether he can pull these songs off live, in the absence of a viable live band. If so, I hope he brings his singers with him: the petulant, folk rock star thing to do would be to can them all for nearly upstaging him on his own record (think Paul Simon to Art Garfunkel!) but he really shouldn’t. There is enough glory on this CD to go round.
By Colin MacKinnon. OxfordBands.com
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Reviews
Apr 30, 2006 17:57:01 GMT -1
Post by flurrrfy on Apr 30, 2006 17:57:01 GMT -1
Artist: Trev Williams Album:Guiding Star Label: Trev Williams Music Tracks: 10 Rating: ***
Based in Faringdon in the Vale Of The White Horse, Trev Williams, looks skyward for the inspiration for his latest album, "Guiding Star", an album that takes reference and influence from stars past and present, but ultimately uses those influences as guide ropes along it's own path.
There are a number of influences that come out in Trev's acoustic pop/rock sound tinged with folk and indie at the edge. It's an album that crosses over well, swirling around pop influences that include the likes of the Monkeys from past generations with Radiohead from more recent ones. You can hear acts as diverse as the Kinks and Damien Rice, bubbling up through the sound. Trev Williams takes on a lot of the music responsibilty, as well as the singing, contributing guitar, piano and bass, as well as arrangement. Other musicians are brought in for percussion, flute and backing vocals. It came as no surprise to discover that Trev describes himself as a freelance composer on his website, rather than singer/songwriter. "Guiding Star" doesn't feel like a conventional album, more a showcase. As a whole, I think the album suffers for it, but there are some truly outstanding moments.
Any song that can draw a comparison with Ray Davies has got to be special in anyones book and "Girlfriend" does have that touch. Another track "I Did It For You" and the track that it backs into "Cut In Two" are songs that would be strong in almost any company and, as far as the album goes, are exceptional tracks. There's a lot of artists that Trev Williams could deliver material for. By a similar standard, "Hyena" and the title track "Guiding Star" are really good tracks, that capture the attention. I just don't think they should be on the same album as the previously mentioned ones.
I don't think that there is a doubt that Trev Williams knows how to write songs. The tracks on this album are proof of that. He's also a more than competent multi-instrumentalist, with the vocal talent to bring out the best in his material. I suspect he also has the talent to bring out the best in those around him. If you're looking to commision a one off piece or even have your work adapted and adopted by Trev, I think he could do a cracking job. Similarly given a theme to work an abum around I think he could compose you an album that everyone would be proud of. Unfortunately, I just don't feel "Guiding Star" works as a suite of songs. FATEA / Cambridge Folk Festival
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Reviews
May 8, 2006 12:27:28 GMT -1
Post by flurrrfy on May 8, 2006 12:27:28 GMT -1
TREV WILLIAMS ‘Guiding Star’ (Own Label) Good old Trev; he’s come in for a bit of a battering in the past in Nightshift’s demo pages but merrily he comes back for more. And come back stronger if this debut album is anything to go by. Where before Trev was prone to schmaltzy romanticism, here he rocks it up a bit while occasionally showing that he’s an adept tunesmith. Opening number ‘All The Demons Have Gone’ is standard pub rock party fare, while ‘Cut In Two’ is a basic, shouty stab at The Who, but more considered moments, like the almost dreamy ‘I Did It For You’ and ‘Hyena’, with their folky take on 60s Californian pop and unobtrusive but effective female backing vocals show his strengths. In fact backing singers Hannah Rhodes and Naomi Bullock could be the real stars of ‘Guiding Star’, whether they’re cooing softly as on ‘I Did It For You’ or chanting in more exotic north African style as on the Kashmir-gone-folk ‘Girlfriend’. Complimenting Trev’s reigned-in Robert Plant lead vocal, they add a depth to everything they’re involved with. Unfortunately the inconsistency of the album suggests Trev has stumbled on the best stuff as much by accident as design, which is perhaps an unkind thing to level at any songwriter, but the heavy-handed treatment of songs like ‘Is It Greener Now I’m Gone’, with its almost operatic bombast, and album closer, ‘If It Makes You Sad’, takes away from the essence of the songs.
Sometimes then, less is more, but as often as not the full band arrangements do give Trev more room to manoeuvre than he’d have with just voice and acoustic guitar. And compared to past offerings, ‘Guiding Star’ finds him going up in the world. Dale Kattack Nightshift May 2006
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robin
Betelgeuse from the constilation Orion
Posts: 6
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Reviews
May 9, 2006 21:04:07 GMT -1
Post by robin on May 9, 2006 21:04:07 GMT -1
good to see the critics being straight not just critical as part of the job.. very well done trev
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Reviews
Jun 20, 2006 21:33:51 GMT -1
Post by Pete the Poet on Jun 20, 2006 21:33:51 GMT -1
LIVE REVIEW - CORNER ROOM JUNE 9TH 2006
Trev Williams is fast becoming a household name both in and around Oxfordshire. He has built his reputation on merit thru his countless stellar live performances of his hard hitting, emotion driven songs. That speak of joy and despair and all the factions in-between, and tonight is no exception
Trev takes to the stage with an air of cool self confidence and sets about doing his splendid work. He grabs the crowd immediately with opener `MY GIRL` a sweet, light hearted yet foot stomping song that talks of a past relationship, which is indicated as he pleads ‘Can I Stay Here` in a lush tender vocal. This is swiftly followed by three equally heartfelt, upbeat tunes, which includes the title track of his new album `GUIDING STAR’
`I MISSED YOU` is the only low point of this boious set, in my opinion it is a little basic and has been done to similar effect before.
However the next song apparently written only two weeks ago! Is a tight, compelling, wondrous composition, named `A BEUATIFUL MIND` it has perfect chord structure, swooning melodies and amazingly sincere vocal. this is defiantly the highlight of the night!
`SHE’S ELECTRIC` a lovely, bubbly, bouncing summer tune of course by Oasis follows which Trev does more than justice too
The last three songs come off of Trevs new album `GUIDING STAR`. `CUT IN TWO` is a spiky, up-tempoed jig ‘ALL THE DEMONS HAVE GONE’ both musically and vocally is a very sweet, touching song. However ’IS IT GREENER NOW’ is most defiantly the stand out of the three. This heavily piano based song transposed too guitar for live performances has a hippy jangly driven riff, mixed both with rip-roaring vocals and a truly joyous chorus that is enough to put down then lift any human whom owns a heart. This is a real gem and ends yet another fantastic, eye catching performance which had the crowd in raptures throughout and rightly so, until this lad is picked up I shall wake in a cold soak induced sweat.
Pete the Poet
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Reviews
Jun 25, 2006 4:34:18 GMT -1
Post by Russell Barker on Jun 25, 2006 4:34:18 GMT -1
Trev Williams - Guiding Star By Russell Barker
Singer-songwriters are ten a penny nowadays, so you need to be good or different to stand out from the crowd. Luckily for Trev Williams he's given himself a good start with this album.
It starts off with the joyous, bouncy 'All The Demons Have Gone' and he's out the blocks and in your face. In the nicest possible way of course. The tambourine adds to an almost happy, clappy feel to the song. Keeping up the uplifting theme 'I Did It For You' is a plain summer tune, a lovely male/female duet.
'Cut In Two' is a different prospect altogether. Trev struggles manfully to hold the tune together as it shoots off in all directions before kicking into a Beatles style chorus and then disappearing into vocoderness.
'I Missed You' could be a Coldplay demo; the way Trev's voice soars magnificently. 'Girlfriend' is a slightlydelic grungy ballad but unfortunately the mid section dips. 'Hyena' is MOR folk and 'Is It Greener Now I'm Gone?' a swirling piano led tune, but a tad dull.
Come 'When My Heart Skips A Beat' he cleverly mixes up the Cure's 'Lovesong' and a Mavericks style country sway along. It's another example of Trev coming up with something innocent and interesting. And it's when he does experiment that he gets the best results.
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Reviews
Feb 28, 2007 15:56:22 GMT -1
Post by nightshift on Feb 28, 2007 15:56:22 GMT -1
TREV WILLIAMS Ah, dear Trevor: Farringdon’s lovelorn balladeer and demo page glutton for punishment returns with three more… ahem… lovelorn ballads, at least this time round providing us with some strangely incongruous listening pleasures: like the raunchy piano bounce that backs up his wailing cries of anguish on ‘Honey Trap’, or the boogie-woogie and human beatboxing on ‘Anytime’ that suggest Trev’s at least prepared to give stuff a go, even if it does sometimes make him sound a bit silly. “The whole world is against you,” he croons on the more sedate ‘Am I The Last To See’. Maybe he could restyle that as a love song to Jade Goody?
Nightshift March 2007
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Post by vixie on Mar 2, 2007 1:07:17 GMT -1
WEll, not posting a review, but wow Trev love ya!
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