Joseph Williams and his new album, Denizen Tenant
OLTREROCK here!
A brand new review track by track, today is Joseph Williams’ turn with his last work called “DENIZEN TENANT”
The release date was 26th february 2021 together with his musical brother Steve Lukather’s last masterpiece “I found the sun again” you can read more about it here:
Here you have the tracklist:
1.Never Saw You Coming
2. Liberty Man
3. Denizen Tenant
4. Wilma Fingadoux
5. Black Dahlia (feat. David Paich)
6. Don’t Give Up (feat. Hannah Ruick)
7. The Dream
8. Remember Her (feat. Steve Lukather)
9. No Lessons
10. Mistress Winter’s Jump
11. If I Fell (feat. Steve Lukather)
12. World Broken
Stellar musicians worked on this beautifully, brilliantly produced project: David Paich, Simon Philips, Lenny Castro, Leland Sklar, Nathan East, Michael Landau, Joseph’s daughters Hannah and Ray, and dulcis in fundo Steve Lukather.
Joe wanted to create something really “personal” after so many years with ToTo, and the whole process was not fast.
Three singles are out and he personally wanted to create the videos too: his touch is really unique and recognizable.
Joseph is a son of Art, his father is Maestro John Williams, composer, multi-instrumentalist, 5 times Oscar Winner, author of some of the most famous soundtracks ever (Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, E.T to name a few..) and his mother was the beautiful singer and actress Barbara Ruick, tragically found dead at 43 years old in 1974 (the forth track is dedicated to her).
Time to listen track by track. Ready?
1.NEVER SAW YOU COMING
First Single, Joseph is the lead vocal, plays piano and synths, drums and bass (prog).
You can hear Lenny Castro’s touch on percussion and the great Michael Landau on Guitar , with Oscar Bugarin.
Joe’s style is tasteful, colorful and.. psychedelic.
Let’s watch the video together.
See what I mean?
2.LIBERTY MAN
Second single and song, it’s a treat written by Joseph and Maestro David Paich, and the musician on this track are jawbreaking: on drums Mr Simon Phillips (recognizable since the first notes, he’s a number one, he worked with bands like ToTo, The Who, Judas Priest) and we go on with Mr Leland Sklar on the bass (an incredible musician who played with Phil Collins, ToTo, Joe Cocker, Donna Summer, Neil Diamond and the list isn’t over), Mike Landau and the one and only, the legend himself Steve Lukather on guitar (the best guitarist ever on my opinion, please Luke forgive me, I know how humble you are)
A hymn to freedom, it runs fluidly like a river of thoughts, I loved the video, full of Joe’s personal memories, friends and pictures which captured precious moments.
3.DENIZEN TENANT
That’s the title track, lyrics beatifully written by Joe and Steven Overton who plays bass and guitar on it.
it’s a pure , literally a word game.
This song was like a puzzle that I couldn’t put away! I kept making myself laugh as I worked on the vocal arrangement… adding everything that came to my mind!
Joseph on the title track
Additional vocals by Joe’s daughter, Ray Williams and Weston Wilson, every other instrument is played by Joseph.
Chapeau!
4. WILMA FINGADOUX
This song carries a delicate, soulful dedication to Joseph’s mother.
A mother who died too young, leaving her three kids, who will be remembered in every Joe’s album, the title is a joke, a funny story that she told to his son when he was a child.
The beautiful voices of his daughters Ray and Hannah on this song create magic and Tina Guo on cello adds a nostalgic touch.
The video is a fine black and white collage of memories from the past combined with the present.
Take a look here:
5. BLACK DAHLIA
A jem written By Williams and Gruska with Maestro Paich on organ, the top player Nathan East on bass, Landau on guitar and Barbara Gruska on drums, Jay Gruska on electric piano and synths.
Elegant athmosphere for this track, it contains a hidden treasure: this song was written thinking about the famous Pamela on ToTo’ s masterpiece “The Seventh One”.
Yes you read it right, it’s about the same lady.
A pure treat for ToTo’s fans.
6. DON’T GIVE UP
First cover song of this album, the original one was written by Peter Gabriel.
Hannah Williams fits incredibly in this delicate, heartfelt duet.
Lenny Castro on percussion and Steve Lukather on guitar, every other instrument played by Joe himself, this is a dreamy, pastel colored sound track.
A beautiful homage, a flawless execution.
7. THE DREAM
Written by Joseph, this catchy tune hides lyrics that will make you reflect (like a lot).
A song about disillusionment, yes, that’s it, the disinchantment of a generation who had big dreams and projects, facing the cold, computerized era we are living in, where phones reduce mankind to zombie slaves.
Drums by Mark Williams, Lenny Castro on percussion , Landau and Bugarin on guitar, piano and synth by Joseph Williams.
Great work.
8. REMEMBER HER
Steve Lukather and Joseph Williams are longlife friends and almost brothers, and in this song you can feel it clearly.
The musical chemistry is powerful, never taken for granted, articulated and smooth.
Hearing a Lukather’s solo is like a Christmas gift and the only thing you will regret is that it ends.
I wanted a song about one or several women in history who contributed something significant but who were forgotten. “Will anyone remember her?”
Joseph on his song “remember her”
Joe’s voice is getting even better through the years and Lenny Castro’s touch is a cherry on top.
What else could we ever ask?
You just need to listen to it.
Now!!!
9. NO LESSON
Music and Lyrics by Gruska’s family, I appreciated those beautifully written words.
Jeff Babko on hammond and Steve Tavaglione on EWI muted trumpet, this text is about everyone of us.
The struggle, falling down and getting back up, the time passing and all the signs we should notice but we almost always fail.
The older I get the less I seem to know • Who I even am and how everything is supposed to go • There were so many signs but I saw none of ’em • Cause there are no lessons • And this isn’t one of ’em
No Lesson, Chorus
10. MISTRESS WINTER’S JUMP
Written by Steven Overton, who plays bass and guitar on it, Lenny Castro on percussion.
Joseph sings but plays also additional prog. bass and drums, piano and synths.
Classy and sophisticated, this song leads us to the last two tracks of the album and I feel sorry about it.
11. IF I FELL
Second and last cover song, it’s an ageless tune by two legends, John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
I can only speak for myself but I believe like many lifelong Beatle fans out there, it’s impossible to have a “favorite Beatle song.” But one of them, and high on my list is “If I Fell.”
joseph williams
Lukather’s “Beatley” vocals are priceless, he just never disappoints and once again you can feel the brotherhood and the way they work together seems effortless, so natural and delightfully easy.
Lenny Castro on percussion in this beautiful pearl.
12. WORLD BROKEN
Last song of this musical journey that Joseph has giftted us.
Written by Williams and Barry Bragman, Lenny Castro on percussion, Steve Lukather on guitar and Dylan Ronan on synth, you can breathe a darker, melancholic atmosphere, an introspective text.
The song is my droney chant tune for this album.
joseph on “world broken”
You can buy this beautiful work here: https://www.mascotlabelgroup.com/products/joseph-williams-denizen-tenant-cd
I hope you will enjoy this album as much as I did, I highly recommend it to all of you.
Be safe and take care,
Marica_Oltrerock