Previous Mercury music nominee Kathryn Williams has come back with her sixth album, ‘Leave to Remain’ (this seems quite an achievement considering the nominated second album ‘Little Black Numbers’ was only released in 2001). This album is similar in style to the likes of Norah Jones, a comparison that Williams herself has noted “...I’ve been labelled in with the singer-songwriters, then with the NAM/New Acoustic Movement, then I was put in the Outsider group. Then I was shoved in with Dido and Norah Jones. And then it was KT Tunstall and Jem and all of that. I’m just in a car passing these things. If people wanna wave to me while I go past then that’s fine” (www.gilotti.net)
Leave to Remain is a collection of 10 soft and ambient songs, the listener can almost feel themselves floating away to the silky smooth voice of Williams.
Evidently a talented musician, her lyrics are really an observation on the obscurities of love and life with the odd enigmatic idea thrown in, such as her claim that “Blue doesn’t really exist” (Blue Into You) – if this is the case, I have no idea what colour most of my wardrobe is!
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Her apt grasp of instruments like piano, organ, and acoustic guitar intensify the emotions behind the lyrics, add to that a plethora of other orchestral instruments and it is clear to see that Kathryn knows how to create a mellow and soothing melody.
My only real complaint is that the songs are just a bit too sickly sweet, musically there is no edge, you feel she could give more but just is content to leave them simple. This is all fine and dandy if that is what you like but after ‘Sandy L’ (the sixth track) I was a little bit bored and wanted a bit more. Simply, this album is pretty and pretty dull at the same time.
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