AYOUSH LAZIKANI introduces her guide to the many ways in which the Moon was interpreted in medieval times
Album reviews with IAN SINCLAIR: September 23, 2024
New releases from Yasmin Williams and The War On Drugs, and a tribute album to Jesse Malin
An analysis of the choices facing the US left has to reach beyond the confines of the Democrat party, suggests RON JACOBS
FRANCIS BECKETT introduces his new play that aims to give its audience a taste of what a far-right triumph would be
KENNY MACASKILL welcomes an outstanding biography that gives full context to the life of Scotland’s greatest early 20th century novelist
ANDY HEDGECOCK, MARIA DUARTE and ANGUS REID review Ackroyd & Harvey: The Art of Activism, The Lost Bus, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, and Happyend
MARY CONWAY relishes the spectacle of a domestic implosion in a setting strangely divorced from any social, political or cultural context
Yasmin Williams
Acadia
(Nonesuch)
★★★★
INSPIRED to take up the acoustic guitar after playing the Guitar Hero 2 video game, 27-year old Yasmin Williams now makes her debut for a (relatively) major label. The Virginia native plays the finger-style sitting with the instrument on her lap, conjuring stunningly beautiful, melodic contemporary folk music.
She significantly broadens her sound on Acadia, working with other talented musicians like Rich Ruth (synths) and William Tyler (guitars). On Harvest she is joined by Darian Donovan Thomas on violin, while Hummingbird is a foot-tapping bluegrass workout. Later tracks like Dreamlake and Malamu include electric guitar riffage, with the latter a tribute to her early guitar heroes Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain.
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