Urban Driftwood

Yasmin Williams sophomore record, Urban Driftwood, is a delight of winsome melodies and meticulous, yet soulful execution. As a young woman of color in the predominantly older white male field of instrumental acoustic guitarists, the Virginia native already stands out, but its her effortlessly inventive compositions and unique reference points that really set Williams apart from her contemporaries. After decades of sparsely appointed American Primitive guitar albums by generations of John Fahey acolytes, its refreshing to hear from a player whose genesis begins with the video game Guitar Hero 2. Using a peculiar self-developed style that blends cascading fingerpicked notes with percussive tapping -- often with the guitar laid flat on her lap -- Williams filters an array of influences through her fretboard, from classic rock gods like Jimi Hendrix to contemporary R&B and West African griot traditions. Moreover, her ambidextrous, multi-limbed sound includes external apparatus like a kalimba which she plays simultaneously and the tap shoes she sometimes wears for added effect. She has also added the African kora to her instrumental repertoire. Written and recorded during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and racial justice protests, Urban Driftwood is intentionally sequenced to reflect the emotional undercurrents of the day. And yet, it is thoughtful more than tumultuous. There is a sense of patience and calm contemplation in songs like Sunshowers and Juvenescence, which radiate warmth and compassion. Adrift, a guitar and cello duet featuring Taryn Wood, strikes a more dramatic tone, as does the Amadou Kouyate-assisted title track, but by and large, Williams music favors light over darkness. Another interesting aspect is how deeply musical her delivery is; the type of precision and expertise required to pull off such a technical playing style often leads to music that is sterile and over-rehearsed. Not so with Williams, whose clear and endearing melodies make Urban Driftwood such a joy to hear. ~ Timothy Monger