Yasmin Williams, folk’s fantastical fingerpicker: ‘Guitar Hero shaped my experimental approach’
After shredding on a video game axe during her teens, the American musician graduated to the real thing. She explains how her music chooses hope during dark times
Some guitarists are inspired by the brawn of AC/DC or the delicacy of Joni Mitchell, but neo-folk fingerpicker Yasmin Williams had a very different way in. “I played Guitar Hero II every day after school when I was 12, until I beat all the levels,” she says, with no small amount of pride. Within weeks, she’d become a Nirvana and Hendrix devotee and had the game licked – even the ridiculous avalanche of notes that is Thunderhorse by fictional thrashers Dethklok (“a deep cut: very hard, very fun,” she adds.)
Today, at home in Alexandria, Virginia, she is not only surrounded by guitars, but also bookshelves in the shape of guitars. Williams is now making some of the most purely beautiful guitar music anywhere, and describes new album Acadia as “a blossoming, of sorts” – it opens with solo acoustic instrumentals in the vein of her spellbinding first two albums, but the arrangements open up until Williams is accompanied by electric guitars, synthesisers, alto saxophone and singing voices. “It’s maybe not what people will be expecting from me,” she says. “But those elements have always been within me. I love jazz. I love rock music. I love electric guitar.”
Continue reading...Date: |
-
Lifestyle - The New York Times
Reading With My Father
A conversation through books.7 hours ago -
Sports - ESPN
Rookie watch: Williams, Thomas and Bowers lead the way
Eric Moody looks at how all the rookies performed during Week 5 of the NFL season.Yesterday -
Top stories - BBC News
'Why is my endometriosis treatment not urgent?'
Wales' gynaecology waiting list rates are among the highest in the UK, according to specialists.11 hours ago -
Top stories - CBS News
Tim Walz, after misspeaking on his record, says "folks know who I am"
Kamala Harris running mate Tim Walz has been criticized for embellishing or telling outright falsehoods about his military record and his travels to Asia16 hours ago -
Sports - CBS Sports
Paul Pogba will be the latest of France's 2018 World Cup heroes to attempt a career rehabilitation
Samuel Umtiti, Corentin Tolisso and many other ex-Bleus have struggled since Moscow1 hour ago - World Cup -
Top stories - The New York Times
As Hurricane Milton Approaches, Florida Urges Residents to Evacuate
Officials urged residents in the expected path of the hurricane to heed evacuation orders as the state mobilizes resources to respond to the storm.Yesterday - Florida -
Top stories - BBC News
Crunch point approaches in Tory leadership race
Conservatives MPs will vote this week in the next phase of the process to replace Rishi Sunak.18 hours ago -
Business - Financial Times
John Williams: ‘I don’t want to see the economy weaken’
The New York Federal Reserve president on the battle to tame inflation12 hours ago -
Business - Inc.
My Employee’s Toddler Screams During Work Calls
… and two other tricky workplace dilemmas.Yesterday
More from The Guardian
-
World - The Guardian
Trump secretly sent Putin Covid testing machines, reports say – US politics live
New Bob Woodward book says Russian president asked then US president ‘don’t tell anybody’ about delivery of machines. US swing state voters: if you’re still undecided how to vote, tell us why ...17 minutes ago - Donald Trump -
World - The Guardian
Earth’s ‘vital signs’ show humanity’s future in balance, say climate experts
Record emissions, temperatures and population mean more scientists are looking into possibility of societal collapse, report says. Many of Earth’s “vital signs” have hit record extremes, indicating ...2 hours ago - Climate -
World - The Guardian
Middle East crisis live: Hezbollah claims to have killed Israeli soldiers crossing border; no safe space left in Beirut, mayor says
Hezbollah says Israeli soldier killed and injured near al-Labouneh forest; Abdallah Darwich says it is no longer possible to say Beirut is safe. Turkey will evacuate its citizens who have applied ...20 minutes ago - Israel -
World - The Guardian
Anger and disgust in Mexico over beheading of newly sworn-in city mayor
Country’s new president to set out public security plans after murder of Alejandro Arcos Catalán in Chilpancingo. Mexico’s new government has been shaken by the murder of a city mayor who was ...2 hours ago - Mexico -
World - The Guardian
More than a million people told to evacuate as Florida braces for Hurricane Milton
US forecasters and officials fear category 4 storm could make landfall in dangerously exposed Tampa area. Hurricane Milton swept past Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula Tuesday, bringing sustained winds of ...4 hours ago - Florida