"After All," the third track on the CD, is a great example of this folk diva's depth. Against a backdrop of acoustic melody, Williams sings heartfelt lyrics about a struggle with depression and her awakening to life and the love of her family. The song concludes on an upbeat note: "And now I laugh at how the world changed me / I think life chose me after all."
The next song picks up the pace with a subtle drumbeat that perfectly supports Williams' sultry voice. In this track, her energy comes right through the stereo speakers and listeners can appreciate her maturing singing style. Williams' voice plays the starring role in most of the song, but a nice electric guitar riff provides a nice bridge midway through the track.
It is hard to pick a standout track on this album because the songs are consistently high-quality, but "I Won't Be Your Yoko Ono" is the best display of Williams' unique wit. Drum-taps and a variety of backup instruments again provide a great background for this quirky tune.
Dar fans will recognize her original brand of satire when she sings, "Well, they could talk about me / Throw me to the velvet dogs of pop star history / But I won't be your Yoko Ono if you're not good enough for me ... You don't know a person like me / I could sell your songs to Nike."
Another pleasantly unique song called "Another Mystery" appears at the very end of "The Green World." This track busts out a catchy banjo beat, providing an intriguing contrast to the resonant electric guitar lines that dominate the rest of the album. With its girl-power lyrics, this song would be an appropriate sequel to "As Cool As I Am," a danceable rock-country song that opened Williams' 1996 CD, "Mortal City."
"Another Mystery" begins with Williams inviting a runway model to get off the catwalk and be "the seer instead of the seen." She goes on to reject the air of enigma that many women aspire to, preferring to experience life to its fullest. She says, "I don't want to be a vapor of heavenly light ... I wanna be the one to feel the sun." Williams' willingness to lay open her soul in her music comes through clearly in her new album.
Her unfailing insight works with a maturing musical style that smoothly incorporates elements of pop and folk to make "The Green World" a clear success.