March 12–19, 1998

six pick

Victoria Williams

Victoria Williams is always an acquired taste. Her newest release, Musings of a Creekdripper (Atlantic), is Williams to the extreme, complete with little-kid twang, pastoral musings and occasionally brilliant songwriting. Joyfully inspired by her home with hubby Mark Olsen (former Jayhawk) in Joshua Tree, CA, the album offers Disney-ish scenes of "periwinkle skies," "grandpa in the cornpatch" and "hummingbirds," and a basket of styles—from country to ragtime jazz to spiritual folk. The loose, rambling "Train Song," one of the better tracks, finds Williams in a rare, funky moment (helped by Prince cohorts Wendy and Lisa on various instruments). Her interpretation of "Nature Boy" is folk avant-garde, warped by baby-babble cooing and knocking calimba. "Kashmir's Corn" is a banjo-tweaked dream in which a stallion addresses a circle of moonshine-swilling rabbits. The eerie Chamberlain keyboard swirling at the song's climax, is pure, weird Williams. She's an original, like nothing else you'll ever hear—and her live show, with The Creekdrippers, is bound to leave you mesmerized. Chris Stills opens.

Wed., March 18, Theatre of the Living Arts, 334 South St., 922-1011.

-Margit Detweiler