Water to Drink [IMPORT]

Victoria Williams

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 15, 2000)
• Original Release Date: August 15, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Atlantic UK
• ASIN: B00004TZC6
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #228,972 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Early in her career, Victoria Williams showed snatches of scattershot brilliance amidst an occasionally maddening amount of clutter. But upon marrying ex-Jayhawk Mark Olson and moving to a ranch in Joshua Tree, California, the singer-songwriter's newfound serenity and sense of place blossomed into a minor masterpiece: 1998's sweeping yet intimate Musings of a Creekdipper spoke frankly of mortality and the reassurance of love, family, and faith. Water to Drink mostly melds the down-home folksiness of her Creek Dippers side project with her own expressive jazzy pop, but she isn't shy about stretching out into funk ("Junk") and even bossa nova (the title track is an Anglicized cover of Joao Gilberto's "Agua de Beber"). Love and affirmation are again overriding themes, as titles such as "You Can Be," "Joy of Love," and "A Little Bit of Love" attest. While Water to Drink is by no means a better album than its predecessor, it's more fun: Williams revels in these songs and the giddy, girlish covers of "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" and "Young at Heart." That said, the best songs here are the quirky character studies, especially "Gladys and Lucy." --Anders Smith-Lindall

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A triumphant return to the positive vibes of "Loose", August 15, 2000

By	"altrockfan" (Charlottesville VA) - See all my reviews

Fifth CD from offbeat singer-songwriter may just be her best yet! While I grew to appreciate her last work, "Musings of a Creekdipper," it did not grab me as 1994's "Loose" did. With this new album, Victoria returns to her roots: writing uplifting, "feel-good" songs about salt-of-the-earth folks and assorted oddballs. She remains refreshingly down-to-earth and unpretentious. While Victoria's unconventional voice and unique arrangements may keep her off of Top 40 radio, I think "Water to Drink" will expand her fan base. My favorite songs are "Gladys and Lucy," "Grandma's Hat Pin" and "Junk." My only criticism is that I am not as crazy about Victoria's covers of standards as I am about her original compositions.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another California desert madwoman, September 20, 2000

By	lelak (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

More immediately accessible than her previous work, Musings Of A Creekdipper, but by the same token, its very accessibility keeps it from brilliance. Less risks taken = less moments of brilliance. That said, the title track, "Water To Drink", has me compulsively tapping my feet. It's far from a let-down; fans old and new won't be disappointed in purchasing this album.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Water To Drink " A Little Bit of Love" in a Powerful Package, August 18, 2000

By	Blue Bayou Hound (Atlanta GA USA) - See all my reviews

This record is wonderful and has POWER. Vic's stuff is so sophisticated and multi-layered. Its great for over and over and over listening. This morning on the way to work I had it cranked up on the cd system. It was probably about my 6th listen and suddenly I realized how completely involved I was with the music. It was taking me to another place (maybe not so good when I'm driving :)), but it is evocative, emotional and oh so together. There is a great mix of her own stuff and her OWN take on Standards. The inflection in her voice and the timeing on the Standards make them ever more memorable. She always ends each cd with an uplifting, ethereal, very spiritual number and " A Little Bit of Love" is all of that. I found myself tearing up at the power of it. But it was a good cry, the kind that makes you feel better for having had it, a cry for "A Little Bit of Love". While I love this cd, I still urge everyone to see her LIVE, she is a true improviser and her shows are full of surprises and humor and love. It doesn't hurt one bit that she is a great musician and always surrounds herself with the GREATEST. Buy this one and if you don't have them go back to "Happy Come Home" (her first) and start a collection. You won't be disappointed. Its an amazing, powerful body of work.