Reviews and Info

Cal has drawn upon some rich folk and roots music sources to construct an eclectic mix of breezy songs and evocative instrumentals all employing his excellent acoustic and slide guitar playing. Track one hooked me right in. After a frustrating day at work this instrumental managed to sweep me away on a musical journey that left my woes behind! Flamenco strains took me through Moorish spaces of southern Spain. A slide guitar passage transported me to the Ry Cooder 'Southern Comfort' swamps of Louisiana. My journey finished in a jaunty realm cohabited by Leo Kottke. 

Some country blues is so damn uppity that you just have to clap your hands to it! Track 2 is one such number. It's country blues Mississippi John Hurt style with a dash of TexMex and Cajun along with Cal's 'Skip James-ish' vocals. Track 3 takes you to The Appalachians. Its fiddle time folks! This is one where you join the congregation and sing along! Track 4? Well it's not Americana, nor does it have the angst of Alt Country. What it offers is some light breezy folk that has a British feel to it! 

Track 5 is another instrumental that exudes the guitar virtuosity of Leo Kottke. Now track 6 is interesting. Dylan's ‘I shall be released’ has indeed been released from the staleness of ‘over kill’ with this engaging and fresh interpretation. Cal's frail 'Bon Iver-ish' vocals are offset by those of Emily Davis while in the background a violin adds a haunting atmosphere. The violin played by Tori Phillips offers a richness and broodiness to the music. Take track 7 for example. violin and acoustic guitar combine beautifully. It is a track where an Americana oeuvre gives way to one that is decidedly British. It has a delightful Donovan delicacy about it. 

Track 8? Why it's ‘Cocaine …running round my brain!’ This is the Nick Drake take not the JJ Cale variety that Mamma don't allow! This track is so damn delightfully lyrical, rhapsodic and randy that that the by-line 'this old cocaine's gonna make me sick' gets lost in the effusion and offers no deterrent at all! 

Track 9 starts off with a delightful call and response between Kory Horwood's double-bass and Cal's slide guitar, an interplay that leads you into a version of Son House's Death Letter Blues. Cal's vocals are soft, smooth and understated with a hint of melancholy. They stretch and strain in the upper registers evoking hint of gloom like those of Skip James and Bon Iver. 

Track 10 is a sheer delight. This guy should be doing movie soundtracks because this track is richly evocative, conjuring visions of strange, spacious and shadowy landscapes. 

Here is an album that you will need to add to your collection, especially if it includes the likes of Ry Cooder, Leo Cottke, Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, Nick Drake and Donovan. 

David Stoeckel
SA Roots and Blues Magazine
www.sablues.org

Cal Williams Jr. is a fine, understated acoustic blues and slide guitarist from Australia and seems to be generating a big noise ‘down under’. He has been voted South Australian Songwriter of the Year three times, has performed at a variety of leading U.K. venues and festivals including the Leeds In-The-City Festival, the Famous Spiegeltent, the Edinburgh Festival fringe, the Beverley and East Riding Festival, H2004 and H2005 Scarborough Beached Festival, Musicport World Music Festival, Baysound Festival and The St. Ives September Fringe, and has recently put forth his latest recorded effort, Morning Star. 

One listen and it is easy to see why Williams has been successful at his work and why he has shared stages with the likes of Billy Bragg, KT Tunstall, and Martin Simpson. His thing is folk/acoustic blues music with an occasional hippy vibe thrown in for good measure. Morning Star has a gentle, soothing quality and is a great alternative when you want some blues, but don’t really need the sting of a Stratocaster. 

Williams’ laid-back vocal delivery and gorgeous acoustic guitar sound drift out of your speakers and envelop you and pull you into his musical world, which could be compared to the one inhabited by icons like Ry Cooder and Rory Block. 

The album’s opener, the instrumental “GreyHound”, begins with an almost New Age feel, which catches the listener off guard. This is supposed to be blues, right? Well, these are Cal’s blues, and he plays them as he pleases, with all of his influences thrown in. The track does develop more rootsy flavor as it progresses, which should make the stalwarts happy. 

“Mexico City Blues” is like listening to an acoustic Canned Heat with Skip James singing lead and has a very cool 70’s sort of thing to it. Through it all, Williams paints vivid pictures of landscapes and the people within them and is obviously as much of a songwriter as a guitarist. Cal Williams Jr. is one that blues fans who are looking for something a bit different may want to keep their ears pealed for. 

Review By Mike O'Cull www.myspace.com/mikeocullmusic

A captivating and addictive mix of acoustic folk and blues that will stimulate, invigorate and liberate you. A truly beautiful collection of songs. - Sandman magazine, UK 

A peaceful and shimmering musical landscape that is, frankly, beautiful. - BluesWax magazine, USA 

10/10 - Whisperin' and Hollerin' magazine, UK 

A brilliant exhibition of slide guitar. Intense, angry and very accurate slide guitar madness. - Vibrations magazine, UK 

Absolutely brilliant. Really, really wonderful stuff. - BBC Radio Cleveland 

Beautifully played. Fantastic. - BBC Raw Talent 

A brilliant combination of hushed, haunting vocals and intricate slide guitar. - Link magazine, UK

Tracklist

1. Greyhound
2. Mexico City Blues
3. Lonesome Valley
4. The Forest
5. Charlie's Blues
6. I Shall Be Released
7. Morning Star
8. Cocaine
9. Death Letter Blues
10. Soezilig

About Cal Williams Jr.

Three times winner of 'The South Australian Songwriter of the Year' and Bank's Music 'Best New Music U.K.' award winner, Cal Williams Jr, has recently competed his album 'Morning Star' to exceptional reviews. 'Cal Williams Jr is one of Australia's finest slide blues guitarists' - Hipnote, Australia 

Cal Williams Jr has performed at a variety of leading U.K. venues and festivals including the Leeds In-The-City Festival, the Famous Spiegeltent, the Edinburgh Festival fringe, the Beverley and East Riding Festival, H2004 and H2005 Scarborough Beached Festival, Musicport World Music Festival, Baysound Festival and The St. Ives September Fringe. 

Cal Williams Jr has performed with a variety of outstanding artists such as Dick Gaugham, Billy Bragg, KT Tunstall, Martin Simpson, C.W Stoneking, Lightning Willie and the Poor Boys, Kathryn Williams and Steve Phillips. 

Cal has also performed live-to-airs on BBC Raw Talent, BBC Radio Cleveland, BBC Radio York, Fresh Air FM and BBC Radio Lancashire. 

Since returning to Australia, Cal has performed at the 'Adelaide International Guitar Festival', 'Semaphore Music Festival', 'Radio Adelaide Live Music Festival', 'Adelaide Blues Festival', 'Sea and Vines Festival', 'Crush Festival', 'Rock the Vote' benefit show and has played live-to-air on Channel 7, Triple J, ABC Radio, Radio Adelaide and Three D Radio. 

Cal Williams Jr has written and performed film soundtracks for the East Coast British surf movie '900 miles' , the award-winning Jan Tesitel directed 'Orange Business' and the critically acclaimed U.K. short film 'Wilderness'. 

Cal has also formed his own band 'The Cal Williams Jr Band' comprising of Elder Conservatorium Jazz graduate Kory Horwood on Double Bass, and Classical graduate Anthony Pak-Poy on second guitar. The Cal Williams Jr band adds a beautifully rhythmic and melodic accompaniment to Cal's unique brand of slide-blues and gentle finger picking.

http://www.calwilliamsjr.com/

http://www.myspace.com/calwilliamsjr