Added: December 2009
love that leaves no room for doubt” and “But love only grows when you don't lose yourself” stand as life lessons many a person has learned through circumstances like those in this song.
“Mama” is a tribute to Williams' mother, thanking her for her strength and teaching her to forgive. While her father's name is never mentioned, the lyrics of the song make it clear to whom Williams' is referring, particularly the line “You let me love my daddy just the same.” Williams paints her mother as a proud woman who smiles through her tears and the admiration Williams has for her mother is clear.
“Bust open the window, rip down the blinds, I’m sick of hiding from the sweet sunshine” opens “Keep The Change,” an up tempo number about deciding to get back on one's feet after heartbreak. Tears have been shed and it's time to move on in this girl power anthem about leaving the past behind and facing what's ahead.
Taking on the other side of heartache is “Alone,” – a deeply personal track from Williams questioning why she still hasn't found that special someone. She ponders whether or not she gives up too easy or if she's too scared of getting hurt to let herself fall in love. The song is painfully true and Williams bravely puts her fears to music to produce a haunting song women looking for love everywhere will be able to relate to.
Not to leave out her father, Williams sings of the bond between father and daughter on “Let Her Go.” The daughter is ready to take on the world by herself while the father holds on tight, worrying that she will fall without him by her side – or else fall for a boy that is just like he was in his younger years. The song reminds the father that if he lets her go, she will find her way back home.
A stand out track on this album is “A Love I Think Will Last,” featuring the vocals of co-writer Chris Janson. The song has a two-step rhythm and a free and easy tone that pokes fun at the skinny country boy and all the boys the city girl used to kiss. Opposites attract and the two have found a love they believe will stand the test of time.
Williams continues the family tradition by making music that is all her own. Here With Me may not be loaded with songs ready for radio but it is loaded with truth, honesty and emotion listeners won't find on just any album. Holly Williams does not need her legendary last name to be taken seriously as an artist, but Williams is Williams through and through.
» For more information on Holly Williams, visit: www.hollywilliams.com »
Holly Williams: 'Here With Me' – Album Review
by Sarah Wyland
Holly Williams may be the granddaughter of music legend Hank Williams, Sr., not to mention the daughter of Hank Williams, Jr., but with her new album, Here With Me, she proves she can stand as an artist without her family's name. This singer/songwriter album is one of the best to come out of Nashville in a while, taking the listener on an intimate journey through love, loss and family.
The album opens with “He's Making A Fool Out of You.” This track plays like a letter written to a best friend – she's giving her all to her man, but he's making a fool out of her. The lyrics “But blind is the
