Trespassers William: Having
Rating: 
(Nettwerk, 2006) Having, the third full-length album from west coast indie popsters Trespassers William, is a bit of a departure for the band. Whereas they previously sounded rather like a dreamier, indier Cranberries or Natalie Merchant, Having finds the band resembling a spacier, slower, reverb-soaked Frou Frou. Not that such comparisons can really capture the sound of a band or album, especially not one as brilliant as this. From the beginning of “Safe, Sound” the band pulls you in with its buzzing atmospherics and Anna-Lynne Williams’ poignant lyrics and beautiful echoing voice. The band’s production job is also first class, varied and well-suited to each song. The drums on “Ledge,” the wall of sound on “I Don’t Mind,” and the interaction of the shimmering guitars and mellifluous keyboards throughout the album make what would have been a good record a great one. Another of Having’s strengths is the wonderful relationship between Williams’ melancholy melodies and the lush dream-pop soundscapes created by her bandmates, which feed off each other to reach emotional peaks most bands can only dream of. Just try to listen to the album without being flooded by feelings of nostalgia. Recalling at different times Frou Frou, Mazzy Star, Red House Painters, American Analog Set, and even Sigur Ros, Trespassers William have created the best album of the year so far, among the best of this decade. Old fans of the band may initially be put off by the band’s change in style, but it’s nigh impossible to argue with results like these.
Buy album– Kevin
May 16th, 2006 at 2:13 pm
So far I’ve only listened to this as background music while doing some reading for lab, so I haven’t paid any attention to the lyrics and probably haven’t noticed a lot of the intricacies of the music. Listened to in that capacity, I would say this CD sounds “pretty,” but it wasn’t distractingly beautiful or anything. Kind of like Audrey Tautou.
June 1st, 2006 at 8:19 pm
Yeah, I thought the album was decent, but it seemed a bit aimless and wandering to me. I like music that is similar to this, like Mazzy Star and Sarah Maclachlan, but I feel like this is missing something. Some of the songs, like “What of Me,” “I Don’t Mind,” and “No One” are excellent, but the others just kind of float by without grabbing me. Of course, I feel the same way about Sigur Ros, so take that for what it’s worth.
June 1st, 2006 at 9:06 pm
I totally understand that point of view, but for some reason this album emotionally resonates with me in a way that I’m not used to.
April 27th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
[…] Trespassers William have created the best album of the year so far, among the best of this decade. [Musicbeet.com] Epic musical soundscapes mixed with the beautiful voice of Anna-Lynne Williams make for one of the […]