David E. Williams - Get Me a Ladder... Get Me a Ladder.

 

David E. Williams – Get Me A Ladder… Get Me A Ladder – CD – Self Released DEWed001 – 2022.

https://davidewilliams.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/people/David-E-Williams/1129773203/

1.    The Well-Tempered Actuary.

2.    Get Me A Ladder.

3.    Plane Crash People.

4.    Body Parts In Birdbaths.

5.    Gangrenous Nebula.

6.    The Man Who Invented Ketchup.

7.    Girl, Go Forth!

8.    A Seed Is Scurrilous.

9.    Hats Off to William Frawley.

10.  We the Ill are Not So Well.

11.  Testosterone Is Poison.

12.  Throat Wound.

13.  Eucharist V. Leukemia.

14.  This Is My Play’s Last Scene (John Donne).

15.  Things.

Image from artist's Bandcamp.

The work Of David E. Williams goes right back to 1987 when the Pseudo Erotica 12” was originally released on Red Dog Records. Williams is the most prolific artist to have come from the label. Across 5 decades, there have been many solo albums and collaborations released on labels like Old Europa Café, Storm, Tesco USA and Cthulhu. In that time Williams has collaborated with artists such as Deathpile and Rozz Williams. Williams has played many shows around the world and is part of the projects: Destroying Angel and the Muskets. William’s soundtrack work to Norman Macera’s Strike Zone in 2001 is impressive. The tribute album to William’s work, The Appeal of Discarded Orthodoxy was released by Old Europa Café in 2007 and featured a range of artists covering William’s work. This was a work of art within itself, well worthy of purchase. Adding to this, in 2018, Tesco USA released Women Sing Williams, Songs of David E. Williams in the Female Voice.

Ahead of reviewing Get Me a Ladder and reflecting on the artist’s impressive discography it is hard to believe that this album won’t be brilliant. This self-released album comes in digipack with a booklet.

The Impressive Discography, collection of the reviewer. 

Keyboards and sampled dialogue serve as The Well-Tempered Actuary. The odd, dark, dungeon  pop that Williams has perfected over the decades is evident on the title track, creepy vocals play off each other throughout the track. The screwiness of the title track follows through to Plane Crash People, which is brilliantly odd, combining, keyboard drones, melodies, heartfelt vocals and excellent guitar work by Erin Martz. Sinister keyboard skills and harmonies are the sinister Body Parts in Birdbaths, a sinister America is always depicted in Williams albums. Lloyd James of Naevus features on this track. Gangrenous Nebula demonstrates what an excellent pianist Williams is.

The work comes out of the dungeon and embraces quirky pop for The Man Who Invented Ketchup, it is jolly and upbeat in comparison to earlier to earlier tracks. I like how the track goes of into an ambient passage of sound through different synthesizer effects. The happiness doesn’t last as Girl, Go Forth is dark and mournful. This progresses to sinister on A Seed is Scurrilous which is bleak balladry. The mood comes down further on Hats off to William Frawley, the darkness continues We the Ill Are Not So Well, black humour flows from each song.

Testosterone is poison begins as a song, the tempo is more upbeat, Erin Martz provides some amazing guitar work. The track then morphs into experimental sonics, the guitar makes glitchy chat as drone shoot everywhere. I realise that it is Williams’ old collaborator Jonathan Canady of Deathpile playing here, he continues Throat Wound. I like the breakdown of the album into ambient terror that happens here. The familiar bleak balladry returns for Eucharist v. Leukemia, this is dramatic and funny. Experimental instrumentation returns on This Is My Play’s Last Scene. Song returns for Things, William’s laments change and brings the album to a beautiful end.

Another solid addition to the discography, great work.

Choppy Noodles 2023.