California native
Van William (aka
Van Pierszalowski) has been kicking around the music industry since the mid-2000s, first fronting the indie folk combo
Port O'Brien, then later forming the glossier rock outfit
WATERS. Achieving a modicum of commercial success and some critical respect for each project, he's always been a little tough to pin down in terms of direction and style. While the more organically inclined
Port O'Brien showed wild flourishes of creativity, the young singer/songwriter still seemed to be finding his artistic footing.
WATERS, on the other hand, brandished the kind of big pop sound that seemed deliberately aimed for chart success. That's not to say that
Countries,
William's debut as a solo artist, entirely puts all the pieces together, but it does come across as his most honest release to date. Loosely billed as a break-up record,
Countries is by no means a brooding soundtrack to heartbreak. A sort of wayfaring narrative of life's emotional peaks, valleys, and the road to healing,
William opts for a panoramic folk-rock tone that is ultimately optimistic. Folkier than
WATERS and hookier than
Port O'Brien, the sound isn't quite rough-edged, but there is something almost Midwestern in its appeal, like the graying of West Coast dreaming into fly-over state realism. You can hear it in aptly titled standouts like "The Country" and "The Middle," where
William's inherent knack for strong melodicism meets a newfound warmth and authenticity. With no band name to hide behind, the journeyman musician has chosen a pleasingly mature and introspective set of songs to represent his first solo outing. ~ Timothy Monger