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Artist: Cal Williams Jr.
Album: driving as a form of prayer
CD Review: Great title for a CD – driving as a form of prayer. Comes from a poem by Gareth Spark. And great cover photo as well. Too bad I only received a three-song sampler. It wasn’t nearly enough to get a real feel for Cal Williams Jr.

Three time winner of the South Australian songwriter of the year and winner of the Best New Music Award for Banks Music, Cal Williams Jr. is definitely being noticed. His music has that edgy new singer/songwriter feel but two of the three songs I heard were almost identical in feeling, tempo and impression. I didn’t get it.

The opening track, Soezilig, was an instrumental and a little different - featuring Williams on slide guitar with interesting percussion. Track three, Ocean Springs also had some unique viola and cello.

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep on saying it. It’s not a good idea to send a songwriter CD to a reviewer for a songwriting magazine without lyrics. And both songs on this CD do not have the lyrics posted on his website. Williams has an intimate in your face voice and I could not understand his words. I hate that.

Overall I think Williams has probably got something. He has that modern kind of sound. But quite frankly I was bored. I didn’t connect. I didn’t understand his message. And there wasn’t enough to groove on the tunes. Too bad.

For more information about Williams, he has a website – www.calwilliams.co.uk or you can e-mail him at brunetterecords@yahoo.co.uk.