Holly Williams Finds Her Voice On “The Highway”
Before this album, I’d been mostly opinion neutral on Holly Williams. Being the granddaughter of Hank Williams, the daughter of Hank Jr., and the sister of Hank3 appointed her music the respect of more than a cursory look. The pedigree runs too deep in that family to handle her otherwise. But Holly only seemed to have only one foot in the music business, unsure if it was the way she wanted to spend her life, though aware that her family’s lineage was probably her quickest way to success.
Her first two albums The Ones We Never Knew in 2004 and Here With Me in 2009, both released on major labels, left one wondering about Holly’s true music identity. Neither were particularly commercially successful–she’s yet to have a single hit the Top 50 threshold–but she really didn’t seem to align with the independent world of music either. She was neither here nor there, and with a lack of scene support her career sort of drifted. The Highway, released on her own Georgiana label, changes all of that.
Produced by Holly and Charlie Peacock, and written mostly by Williams herself, The Highway puts Holly Williams smack dab in the middle of this revolutionary crop of young women that threatens to completely shake up the country music world and mindset. Along with Kacey Musgraves, Caitlin Rose, and Ashley Monroe, Holly Williams now has a career-caliber album that exemplifies the leadership and creativity coming from country’s young women.
The Highway takes a more Americana route than a country one, with sparse arrangements and a focus on deep lyricism. The music stays soft while the words are cutting. There’s a few exceptions like the twangy, steel-guitar soaked “Railroads,” but mostly The Highway takes advantage of the emerging commercial viability of Americana by bringing a refined ear to the compositional process and focusing the listener on the art of the song.
There’s still a lot of meat here though for the country music fan. The music might be refined, but the words come from the downtrodden life, with a lot of depression, addiction, and sorrow in the stories. “Drinkin'” is the track that other songwriters will listen to and beat themselves up for not writing. Its unconventional structure reels you in while Holly’s voice strikes that healthy balance of conveying country inflections without felling like a “put-on” act.
The biggest takeaway from The Highway might Be Holly’s voice. Not really known as a notable singer heretofore, Williams embarks on a discovery of her vocal strengths on this album, learning to accentuate the unique aspects of her tone, and even to take her vocal weaknesses and turn them into strengths such as great singers like Emmylou Harris have done in the past. There are a few Emmylou-like moments on this release, with Holly’s earthy tones and strain in her voice emphasizing the emotion of the story. “Gone Away From Me” is where this is exhibited best, while a song like “A Good Man” featuring a trailing vibrato has enough soul to be found on an R&B chart if it weren’t for the fiddle.
About the only hiccup on The Highway may be Holly’s propensity to write in a 3rd-person male voice that sort of confuses the perspective of some of the songs, most notably the anthemic final track, “Waiting on June.” This issue is short lived though, as you understand that when listening to the story it is more honest and true because it is being told from the male perspective instead of Holly attempting to augment the inspiration for the song to fit a female voice.
Where Holly Williams’ career and releases left her neither here nor there before, now she has found her voice, has found her place, and that place is amongst the talented women doing what they can to return the greater country music world to a place of substance.
1 3/4 of 2 guns up.
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March 17, 2013 @ 2:54 pm
I actually didn’t actually know Holly Williams existed until fairly recently. Of course, I’m quite familiar with the rest of her family, but she slipped through the cracks somehow. Anyhow, she may have escaped my notice for a while, but she’s definitely earned herself a new fan.
March 17, 2013 @ 3:19 pm
Wow. Yeah, she was completely off my radar. That’ some really good stuff!
March 17, 2013 @ 6:49 pm
Same here, I’ve heard her name before but didn’t realize she was part of the Hank Williams family. Great stuff, I think I am starting to like the Americana style.
March 17, 2013 @ 8:24 pm
I think that speaks to Holly trying to forge her own music identity instead of trying to ride off of her name. I think she has struggled with that in the past. Maybe now she is right with it, and it has allowed her to be herself, which in turn has allowed her to blossom musically.
March 17, 2013 @ 7:12 pm
Great review!!! i met Holly several years ago & saw her perform live a couple of songs that she did well on. But this album blew me away. The emotion in her voice and songwriting on this entire record make it my favorite one this year. Drinkin’, to me, is perfect. She writes from woman’s soul point. I hope men respond to it as well.
March 17, 2013 @ 8:18 pm
Well I’m a man, and I responded to it.
March 17, 2013 @ 8:15 pm
Waiting On June is also the true story of her grandparents (on her mothers side) from meeting to dying.
I saw an interview where she was talking about it.
Also, I think he writing from a male voice is one of the strongest parts of the album. I love that she didn’t force the songs into a sexuality that they didn’t wanna be in.
March 17, 2013 @ 8:22 pm
I agree. Though it may be a little jarring for some listeners at first, it makes the stories behind the songs more true, however counterintuitive that may seem on the surface.
March 17, 2013 @ 9:10 pm
This is another one I’m definitely going to be picking up. I think she’s got a really strong voice. And not to sound like a broken record, but if you keep pointing out all of these great female artists, my record collection might start being less sexist haha.
March 18, 2013 @ 2:56 am
Well said. I agree!!
March 18, 2013 @ 7:15 am
I picked up her previous album for my wife a couple of years ago. I don’t thing it has left her CD changer since. This one will certainly be an addition..
March 18, 2013 @ 8:18 am
She has Sr.’s pain in her voice.
March 18, 2013 @ 1:54 pm
Holly Williams has provent to me what leaving large record labels can do to your music style. I listened to some of her earlier albums and was not impressed. It sounded like everyone else that is on the radio today. But this song drinkin is definitely a far cry from all the other pop artists on country radio. It’s a huge leap from her and it works for her. I give this one a two thumbs up for defying record labels and doing your own thing. Mrs. Williams here’s to you for finding your sound.
March 19, 2013 @ 7:10 am
I saw Holly WIlliams open for John Hiatt a few years ago and I liked her OK, but didn’t feel her songs distinguished her from a lot of other singer/songwriter opening acts I had seen and so I didn’t end up buying one of her CD’s. The songs on this new album strike me as more up my alley. Rootsier, for one thing. Pretty sure I’ll be picking it up.
March 20, 2013 @ 7:03 am
Sounds pretty good. She is also on tour ,go and check her out.
March
19 ”“ Washington, DC ”“ Lisner Auditorium >
20 ”“ Greensburg, PA ”“ Palace >
27 ”“ Evanston, IL ”“ Space >
28 ”“ Green Bay, WI ”“ Meyer Theatre >
29 ”“ Indianapolis, IN – Do317 Lounge >
APRIL
3 ”“ Austin, TX ”“ Stubb”™s Bar-B-Q >
5 ”“ Winnie, TX ”“ Nutty”™s Jerry”™s >
6 ”“ Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater >
7 ”“ San Antonio, TX ”“ Sam”™s Burger Joint >
12 ”“ Santa Rosa Beach, FL ”“ Bud and Alley”™s >
19 ”“ Wilmington, DE – World Café Live >
21 – Philadelphia, PA – Tin Angel >
23 ”“ Boston, MA – The Sinclair at The Bowery >
25 ”“ Providence, RI ”“ Fete Lounge >
26 ”“ Lancaster, PA ”“ The Ware Center ”“ Launch Music Fest >
MAY
3 ”“ New Orleans, LA ”“ Jazzfest >
18 ”“ Gillette, WY ”“ Jordan”™s >
22 ”“ Sacramento, CA ”“ Assembly >
23 ”“ Camp Mather, CA ”“ Strawberry Fest >
26 ”“ Nashville, TN ”“ 3rd and Lindsley >
JUNE
1 ”“ Morgantown, WV ”“ West Virginia University >
13 ”“ Myrtle Beach, SC ”“ House of Blues >
JULY
18 ”“ Boise, ID ”“ Revolution Event Center >
19 -Alta, WY ”“ Targhee Festival >
20 – Salt Lake City, UT ”“ State Room >
March 30, 2013 @ 7:55 am
I’m with you on this one Trigger, I was fairly neutral on her music prior to this but this is the first I’ve heard off the new album and this is fantastic.
May 17, 2013 @ 12:23 am
That is good stuff. I’m also in love with her.
December 13, 2013 @ 7:25 am
Such a great album. I saw her when she came to London and she knocked me flat