Search - Dar Williams :: Out There Live

There was a time when Dar Williams flubbed her chords, forgot her lyrics, and could only make it through a set due to the enthusiastic support of her fans. Now she's a seasoned and poised folk-rocker and a mesmerizing live performer, although this recording fails to reflect it. Sadly, her magnetic personality and energy seem lost here. Recorded during her 2000 tour behind The Green World, Out There Live too often falls short of both her lush studio recordings and her vibrant stage performances. Although upbeat numbers like "As Cool As I Am" and "Are You Out There?" nearly summon the patented Williams charm and verve, her more plaintive, quiet songs, such as "February," "End of the Summer," and "When I Was a Boy," sound exhausted and flat. No new songs or covers are included, most arrangements vary only slightly from existing studio recordings, and Williams frequently sounds downright bored. Her endearing stage banter is captured in a few song introductions, but it is not enough to carry an album that will please only die-hard fans. --Sally Weinbach