Devon Williams - Euphoria

Devon Williams's shimmering pop tempers sweetness and bliss with an honest, unguarded perspective. His tunes are informed by broad musical knowledge and diverse tastes; while the past echoes through them, his songwriting skills, strong musical voice and arrangement / production prowess mark him as a truly unique talent. The past can be a window on the present, and Williams's distinctive blend of power pop, orchestrated soft rock, folk rock and jangle-pop takes full flight on Euphoria. The album presents an homage to things romantic and rare. This powerful and catchy set of songs, matched with a more intricate and layered production than his 2008 solo debut Carefree, retains a uniform feel despite having been recorded and mixed in several studios by producers like NYC's Jorge Elbrecht (from the excellent Violens) and Vancouver's Dave Carswell, who also produced Williams' onetime touring mate, Destroyer. From the gushing crescendo of "Slight Pain" to the trance-like state of "Dreaming," the album's vast emotional landscape embodies the tough-minded / tenderhearted spirit that animates Williams' live performances. The twelve songs on Euphoria live in a dizzy head space of quiet desperation, progressing from the loving and warm "Revelations" to complacency in "Sufferer," then back to the optimistic "Right Direction" directly into the claustrophobic, pounding chorus of "How is There Always Room?" Lush and layered, Williams chooses this colorful world to make light of dark thoughts. First single "Your Sympathy" is the perfect illustration-a gorgeous, rolling, jangle-infused tune that wraps romantic resignation in the stateliest of melodies. Songs like "Favor Tree" and "All My Living Goes to You" continue with this theme, heady meditations on the heart set against lovely musical backings that would make any fan of Felt or The Church swoon. This is Williams's statement of musical intent and he's been carefully crafting and tweaking the songs for maximum effect, building them up and then paring them back down to find the ideal balance of immediacy and depth, of melodic richness and lyrical concision. Euphoria is Williams' finest record yet, a very personal work of great beauty, as thought-provoking as it is musically intoxicating.

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