The Green World [ENHANCED]

Dar Williams

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 22, 2000)
• Original Release Date: August 22, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Razor & Tie
• ASIN: B00004WFO0
• In-Print Editions: DVD Audio  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,324 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Like many of her contemporaries, folk-rocker Dar Williams seems weary of her road-tested, pared-down, fan-pleasing musical formula. Her last outing, 1997's End of the Summer, gave hints of her interest in a more instrumentally rich, highly produced, pop-leaning sound, but still maintained an earthy folk sensibility. On 2000's The Green World, Williams's guileless humor and stripped acoustic sound are replaced by shimmering electric guitars, heavy reverb, compact lyrics, and complex, layered percussion. Her steadfast fans may cry "sellout" initially, but by the third listen, they'll begin to sympathize. Yes, this new, polished sound seems to hang heavy on tracks such as "Calling the Moon," where an invasive Hammond organ and overbearing guitar nearly drown out the reedy plea of Williams's heartbreaking voice. And "After All," a wrenchingly introspective rumination, begs to be left in subtle simplicity. But songs like the mild-yet-infectious jaunt "Another Mystery," the passionately insistent lament "And a God Descended," and the gentle rock reverie "Playing to the Firmament" bear their lavish arrangements with grace and pride. --Sally Weinbach

Product Description
The Green World is the Dar Williams of the 21st Century collecting the musical, inspirational and emotional elements she developed over the last three albums and taking them all one great musical step further. The songs on The Green World shine. Recorded in Woodstock and in New York City, Dar has added a new dimension to her work by using producer Stewart Lerman and a host of ace studio musicians. Their dramatic arrangements showcase not only her appealingly complex lyrics but also her growing musical and vocal maturity. Dar has added a new dimension to her recorded work.

24 bit / 96 kHz DVD-Audio, 24 bit / 48 kHz Dolby Digital 5.1, and stereo options
Stunning 5.1 surround sound
Tour Rehearsal Video
Lyrics
Artist Photos
Weblinks
Plays on ALL DVD players --This text refers to the DVD Audio edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasure trove, December 18, 2001

By	Brian Melendez (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had never heard of Dar Williams before a moment of words and music caught my attention in the background of a television show: "Once upon a time I had control / And reined my soul in tight." I tracked down the lyrics, from the song "After All," and ended up buying "The Green World." The song was a lyrical treasure, about the singer coming to terms with her family ("I am the daughter of a great romance / And they are the children of the war") and thereby unlocking her own life ("Well the sun rose with so many colors / It nearly broke my heart / And worked me over like a work of art . . ."). Not since I first heard Nanci Griffith singing "I Knew Love" have I listened to a new (to me, anyway) artist with such delight.

After listening to "After All" for about the hundredth time, I tried the rest of the album, and was pleasantly surprised that "After All" was not just a gem in a five-and-dime store. Dar Williams can write, and she can sing, and both with art and heart and depth and range. Even her slightly jaunty tunes ("What Do You Love More Than Love," "Another Mystery") glitter with wry lyrical twists. Her tribute "I Had No Right" introduced me to Father Daniel Berrigan, an antiwar activist in the Vietnam era, who coupled his protest with a deeply reflective personal literature about social conscience ("First it was question, then it was a mission / How to be American, how to be a Christian") that I have just begun exploring.

I have become a fan overnight. I look forward to getting to know the rest of Dar Williams's music.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dar's gifts are obscured by generic production, August 23, 2000

By	Jonathan B Whitcomb "Emery's Misery" (New Hampshire USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dar Williams is a very talented singer, song writer and performer. Her live performances hold a special place in my life, partially because they were wonderful, memorable shows, but more-so because my wife conceived shortly after each show. I guess when we're done expanding the family we'll have to miss Dar's shows!

This album opens with a military snare drum rhythm and a blast of synthesized trumpets which serve notice that this is a new sound for Dar. Indeed, the album has a thickly layered sound where the producer seems hell bent on filling the spaces that used to punctuate Dar's recordings. I'm not a folk purist who objects to production out of hand. Indeed, I find the skillful juxtaposition of non-traditional sounds enhance an album, as Mitchell Froom's productions of Suzanne Vega and Ron Sexsmith do. But here Stewart Lerman glosses over the subtlety of Dar's songs and diverts the listener's attention away from their strengths rather than highlighting them.

So does this ruin the album? No. It just makes the listener work harder to delve beneath the sonic layers to appreciate the fine material. In fact, this is state of the art production. Unfortunately, the current trend is to compress all the dynamics of a song and force the singer to compensate by over emoting. And while this works for demonstrative singers like Jewel, singers with subtler gifts get lost in the shuffle. So this album will do little to distinguish Dar Williams from scads of singer/song-writers trying to break into the limelight. And that's the tragedy here, since Dar is a rare talent who deserves to rise above the pack.

Some recording artists need this sort of production to hide second rate material. But Dar Williams is a gifted story teller with an ear for strong melodies. The relentless layers of sound smother the subtleties of her writing and performance so instead of an outstanding album, we get merely a good one.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Evolution, September 29, 2000

By	lab_gnome (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews

So I first heard about Ms. Williams from the press for her "End of the Summer" CD. While I can't claim to be an ardent fan, I do recommend seeing her in concert. Her latest CD actually has some songs she's been playing for the last year or so, i.e. Cry Cry Cry and solo. So I've been waiting for this release with some anticipation. It does not disappoint. I am reminded of Suzanne Vega's first two albums, when I think about how Dar Williams' music has evolved since her last CD. Purists might disagree, but I think the additional background instruments add a texture to her songs they previously lacked. Her lyrics here are as well crafted as those by Cheryl Wheeler. My personal favorite is the sentimental "After All." In all, I am very happy with this latest CD, and I look forward to hearing her on tour.

Addendum: I just saw her in concert, and I must admit to being somewhat disappointed. If you've heard the CD tracks, the live performances don't add much. Lost in all the flash and reverb were the elocution and inflection I have come to appreciate in Ms. Williams' songs. I found her acoustic renditions the most moving, and I hope she returns to this format. Soon.