MUSIC REVIEW: JOSEPH WILLIAMS – Denizen Tenant

Label: Mascot Label Group / The Players Club

Release Date: February 26, 2021

Rating: 95%

Reviewer: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

The companion disc to fellow band member Steve Lukather’s album released today is Joseph Williams’ 12-track opus Denizen Tenant. The dual release of current band members takes me back over forty years when KISS members released solo albums on the same day. After listening to both albums, I have no doubt these albums will fit perfectly not only in the individual discography, but in the collections of Toto fans everywhere. Disc opener “Never Saw You Coming” kicks off with a different vibe and groove than we are accustomed to… or does it? The layered production, the keyboards, the guitars, and THAT voice. Joseph nails the ambiance of the lyrics and delivers them with emotion and precision; not an easy task to do both! “Liberty Man” is a track that could have been ripped from a multitude of Toto discs, but that lends credit to the writing ability of Williams and David Paich. The tandem of Joseph’s vocals and piano / keyboard contributions to the track as well as buddy Luke’s guitar parts takes this song to the next level and lands squarely as one of my favorites on the disc. Be sure to enjoy every nuance of the track by spinning it repeatedly. “Wilma Fingadoux” is the most personal track on the disc, as it was written for his mother; he disclosed during a recent chat with us that he lends a brief nod to her on each disc. The vocals on this perfectly offset the programmed musical accompaniment and give the track a totally different vibe than most of songs here. The first of two covers hits and I am floored. Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up” comes into play and I find myself singing along instantly, but also find myself digging into the layers of instrumentation and vocals. There is a different quality in this track via Williams’ vocals and the phenomenal lead vocal contributed by Hannah Ruick (Joseph’s daughter). This song propelled itself beyond the original in my opinion and stands on its own. “Remember Her” is a great track to split the album, as it has different sounds and grooves woven into it and takes a milder approach to the music without sacrificing any of the collections power and energy. Be sure to catch the guitar solos and piano on the bridge – different sounds creating a wall of sound feel. “Mistress Winter’s Jump” is a great song that swirls together the different facets and components of most of the tracks on this collection. The tribal cadence of the track gets the foot tapping and Williams’ vocals are as solid here as they are on any track on the disc. The song draws you in and keeps you engaged with time changes and layers of instrumentation and vocals.

Title track “Denizen Tenant” is a cool track that delivers not only some cool vocal progressions, but a great fusion track that swirls equal parts Williams influences and Toto’s familiar groove. The orchestration touches add depth and punch to the transitions between verse, chorus, and bridge. This song begs you to take it for another spin, just to absorb all the layers of vocals. “Black Dahlia” is another song that has flashes of Williams’ day job, thanks to his vocals and B3 from Paich. The song has the familiar fusion groove but laced across it is a soulful vocal that takes this song and bulks it up a bit sonically. “The Dream” is a cool rock track that benefits from a thunderous bottom end, solid guitar work, and vocals that soar without taking off and disrupting the layering and swirl of music. This track gets better with each listen. I love the different textures in Joseph’s vocal delivery in the mix. “No Lessons” is another track that grabbed my ears and my heart and is now a running favorite in my current playlists. The stripped back feel of this track allows Williams’ emotional grasp of the lyrics shine through and elevate the track. The piano accompaniment is great and the peppered trumpet in the mix adds to the mix. This one begs you to sing along as the second chorus kicks in. Another cover, The Beatles’ “If I Fell,” rears its head and we are treated to a small window into Joseph’s influences. There is even a slight shift in his delivery… we all emulate our idols when singing and he is no different as a slight British accent seems to creep into the track. The song is a great tip of the hat to the original. Disc closer “World Broken” takes us out in a different direction without veering from the path cut by the other tracks on this collection. It has an organic groove that seems to unite the beginning and ending of the disc while including all the amazing parts in between. I cannot wait to continue digesting this disc in the future and discovering more reasons to love it with each spin.

Tracklisting: Never Saw You Coming – Liberty Man – Denizen Tenant – Wilma Fingadoux – Black Dahlia – Don’t Give Up – The Dream – Remember Her – No Lessons – Mistress Winter’s Jump – If I Fell – World Broken

JOSEPH WILLIAMS LINKS:

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TOTO LINKS:

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Category: CD Reviews