A.A. Williams covers The Smashing Pumpkins
Having last month announced the release of Songs From Isolation, a 9-track LP of cover versions out 12th February via Bella Union, today A.A. Williams shares another new track from the album. “Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans” is a beguiling, stripped-back cover of the Smashing Pumpkins classic. Of the track Williams says: “Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness is such a nostalgic album for a generation of music-lovers, it was great to have a chance to work on one of the tracks for the Songs From Isolation project. The Pumpkins’ Porcelina has so many timbre changes and complexities that in this arrangement I wanted to hone in on the text, whilst leaving the piano to underpin everything with a dreamy positivity.”
The Songs From Isolation project began at the beginning of the UK’s nationwide lockdown in March. A.A. Williams took songs suggested by fans and created a series of videos presenting the tracks with stripped-down instrumentation, recorded and filmed from her home in North London. The album represents a continuation of the project into a full collection of recordings and features cover versions of The Cure, Pixies, Deftones, Nick Cave, Gordon Lightfoot, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and more.Williams has previously shared cover versions of Deftones’ ‘Be Quiet And Drive’ and ‘Lovesong’ by The Cure from the album.
A.A. Williams recently announced news of further live dates which will hopefully take place next year. March sees her on tour in Europe with The Sisters Of Mercy followed by an extensive tour with MONO running through to mid-April. This is followed by UK headline shows including a special Songs From Isolation London performance in September.
Critical acclaim for Forever Blue, A.A. Williams’ July-released debut album:
“Williams moves with ease between singer-songwriter territory and post-metal heaviness… Forever Blue is a remarkable accomplishment, confirming that Williams has already built a world of her own.” MOJO – 4 stars ****
“Revelatory… Minimalist singer-songwriter material blending with elements of classical, metal and post-rock to make a distinctive whole.” The Observer (One To Watch)
“Darkly beguiling… A.A. Williams’ songs maintain an eerie delicacy whether she chooses a setting that’s spare, ornate or pulverising… The shifts between moments of high drama and quiet tension point to her kinship with Chelsea Wolfe and PJ Harvey.” Uncut
“blending moments of introspection with soaring post-rock crescendos and classical elements, this is a compelling debut throughout.” Q – 4 stars ****
“A masterful work of melancholy and bruised beauty… One of the most wonderful new British artists of recent years.” Planet Rock – 5 stars *****
“Stirring and evocative… We’re only halfway through 2020 but the chances of a more heartrending and fully formed debut emerging this year are practically zero.” Metal Hammer – 9/10
“Enduring the emotional abyss with breathtaking grace and grit on her debut album; A.A. Williams’ Forever Blue is a record that reveals more of its sublime poetry each time it’s listened to.” The Line Of Best Fit – 9/10
“A stunning eight track debut… Her vocals are stirring and emotive, while conveying raw emotion that perfectly encapsulates the anxieties and addictions of love and loss… Just sublime.” Clash – 8/10
“A concise yet profound debut album that displays incredible craft both lyrically and dynamically.” Secret Meeting – 8.5/10
“A debut of richness, depth and genuinely shattering emotional engagement – pure melancholic majesty to lose yourself in.” Beats Per Minute – 8.2/10