REVIEW: Devon Williams - Euphoria

Devon Williams - Euphoria
MMM

Having spent time in Osker (punk) and Lavender Diamond (folky pop), guitarist Devon Williams stepped out on his own with the 2008 release of his debut album, Carefree, which showed the ethos of his former bands through a lens of sharp indie pop. On his sophomore effort, Euphoria, Williams dunks his debut’s sound into a pool of chorus-heavy, ‘80s-indebted indie pop that’s vibrant with '60s pop harmonies and lush production.

Euphoria features innocent, romanticized visions of relationships wrapped in a sound that calls to mind the ‘80s new wave/twee/pop rock of groups such as XTC and Felt as well as Song From the Film-era Tommy Keene. Williams also manages to mix in the infectious edge of ‘60s sunshine pop without losing his sense of direction. It’s hard not to hear the ‘80s influence, especially with how guitar-driven the album is; guitars are dressed with quite a bit of chorus as well as touches of reverb. These layers of interweaving, harmonious guitar riffs and chord progressions reveal Williams to be well-versed on the songwriting of those ‘80s guitar-centric pop bands. And with the addition of orchestral strings and the subtle but significant support of synthesizers, Euphoria sounds colorful and quite rich in tone.

Album opener “Revelations” displays Williams’ proclivity for warm, bright harmonies of ‘60s pop; it sounds like it could be some lost Beatles b-side, if The Beatles hung out with The Zombies. The following track, “Your Sympathy,” highlights the album’s twee-meets-new wave side with a rolling rhythm, spiraling guitar riff, and bashful, rather sentimental-sounding chorus. The melancholic intrigue of “How Is There Always Room?” is created through a backdrop of synthesizer and a constellation of guitar riffs that parallel and intersect with one another. The beautiful “Tired of Mulling” demonstrates Euphoria’s occasional sidesteps towards more ballad-oriented territory, with the sweet sustain of strings, the light, soothing tones of xylophone and flute, and a gently strummed acoustic guitar.

It may be a bold statement to make, but Euphoria seems like – or has the potential to be – the kind of album that might get overlooked now but be highly valued years down the line, in much the same way Keene’s Songs From the Film was. At times, it can suffer from a lack of distinction or feel safe for how closely it sticks to a familiar formula, but Euphoria is still an accomplished effort that revives these ‘80s sounds without feeling ironic or passé. And with such a healthy dose of chorus filling a majority of the album, it often comes away with a, well, euphoric ambiance – causing it to come across as both endearing and infectious. It’s a solid record that does well in balancing ‘60s and ‘80s influences to create something familiar yet fun, something that pays homage to the past but still sounds fairly modern.

Devon Williams - "Your Sympathy"


Euphoria is out now on Slumberland Records.