Bring on the Strings: Devon Williams makes an argument for lushness

Ben at Ba Da Bing! has stumbled upon another prodigious young talent.  Now that Beirut's Zach Condon has ascended to indie royalty (with hair chops like that, of course he did!*), there is room for Devon Williams, who—like Condon—is particularly adept at updating classic sounds with lush arrangements.  I'm really loving what I've heard so far; it brings to mind power-pop giants like Big Star and the Go-Betweens.  The LA-based Williams also shares an affinity with more recent slanted melodists like Dan Bejar* and, especially, Cass McCombs*.

"A Truce" by Devon Williams (download)


With so much of the current indie-world trending toward the bare-bones sparsity of lo-fi acts like Times New Viking and No Age*, those sprightly string arrangements (by Steve Gregoropoulous of Lavender Diamond) are a reminder that while less is sometimes more, more is sometimes pretty stunning too.  Williams' songs make grand statements that are hard to overlook, and seem destined for repeat listenings.  I must have listened to "A Truce" and "Elevator" at least ten times straight, and I've yet to get sick of those strings!

The album, Carefree, is out out now.

¹ I readily admit I'm jealous of his hair...and his chops.
² aka Destroyer, for whom Williams is currently opening on tour.
³ whose latest album, Dropping the Writ, is an underrated masterpiece.
⁴ both of whom, of course, have their own refreshing, visceral immediacy.