Search - Brooks Williams :: Hundred Year Shadow

Brooks' "Hundred Year Shadow" not as compelling

Derek Melanson | 01/26/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"From the slow and bluesy "Darker Kind of Blue" to the Johnny Cash inflected "Monkey", 'Hundred Year Shadow' may be one of Brooks more diverse musical offerings. Perhaps this is not only because of variety of styles he explores, but also because this CD finds Brooks covering a number of other artists, from the Beatles' "I Will" to the radio friendly "My Love Will Follow You", a track written by Buddy and Julie Miller.More upbeat and less melancholy than its predecessor, 'Hundred Year Shadow' also features a full band on most tracks. In my opinion, this weakens the album to the extent that it lacks the sense of intimacy heard on 'Seven Sisters'. I must say, too, that the songs on this CD are not as memorable as those on recent albums. It feels at times like Brooks "light". Brooks shines brighter when either unaccompanied or when the accompaniment is minimal. This may have something to do with the production as well. So, while this CD is pretty good, if you've not listened to Brooks I'd recommend 'Knife Edge' as a place to start. And if you can find them, early albums like 'North From Statesboro' and 'When the Nighttime Sings' are also highly recommended."