Reviews

• Mr Jackie Hayden, Hotpress Magazine

2006: Review of the album Beautiful Arrangement

"Nicola Williams has a debut album Beautiful Arrangement on which the much-travelled (China, Holland, Thailand) South Wales woman now living in Galway proves she can explore the hinterland between Kate Bush and our own Julie Feeney to satisfying effect. 'The Dancer' is a sparkling track with tons of atmosphere and Williams' haunting voice. 'Beautiful Arrangement' is just her voice multi-tracked and to marvellous effect that for once makes you sorry it isn't longer. 'Here' is a luscious piece of contemporary soft-rock that puts her right up there with the Meluas and the Tunstalls. Inventive stuff without losing sight of homebase."

• Mr Jackie Hayden, Hotpress Magazine

2001: Review of three-track demo

"The demo from Nicola Willams from South Wales...shows the benefits of avoiding the obvious. She has a winningly expressive voice which she applies well to her sparkling songs. Despite the home-recording quality, it's clear she has a firm grasp of song structure too, and the opening track oozes an easy confidence. “Still” offers further evidence of an intelligence at play. She could have taken the obvious folksy road of vocals and acoustic guitars but has wisely boosted the track with well-thought out swathes of synth sounds mixed with chiming guitars and the gentle patter of percussion. She sings “Emotional Migraine” a capella. I'm not convinced it works as well as the previous tracks. The sean-nos route is not as easy as it might seem. But Williams in general proves she can deliver the goods in an original context and it would be a pity if her talents were to go astray before she got to share them with the public at large.

• Chris Woodman, Tunetown Swansea

2004: Review of 12 tracks of acoustic recordings

“Nicola Williams has given me a 12 track album. And it's great...the songs are mood personified...Nicola's vocal range is impressive and her voice is pure. There is some percussion sprinkled throughout the album to keep the songs in check and interesting, which it is, but it's predominantly vocal/acoustic guitar ...it's musical Chemotherapy”



Reviews • Mr Jackie Hayden, Hotpress Magazine 2006: Review of the album Beautiful Arrangement "Nicola Williams has a debut album Beautiful Arrangement on which the much-travelled (China, Holland, Thailand) South Wales woman now living in Galway proves she can explore the hinterland between Kate Bush and our own Julie Feeney to satisfying effect. 'The Dancer' is a sparkling track with tons of atmosphere and Williams' haunting voice. 'Beautiful Arrangement' is just her voice multi-tracked and to marvellous effect that for once makes you sorry it isn't longer. 'Here' is a luscious piece of contemporary soft-rock that puts her right up there with the Meluas and the Tunstalls. Inventive stuff without losing sight of homebase." • Mr Jackie Hayden, Hotpress Magazine 2001: Review of three-track demo "The demo from Nicola Willams from South Wales...shows the benefits of avoiding the obvious. She has a winningly expressive voice which she applies well to her sparkling songs. Despite the home-recording quality, it's clear she has a firm grasp of song structure too, and the opening track oozes an easy confidence. “Still” offers further evidence of an intelligence at play. She could have taken the obvious folksy road of vocals and acoustic guitars but has wisely boosted the track with well-thought out swathes of synth sounds mixed with chiming guitars and the gentle patter of percussion. She sings “Emotional Migraine” a capella. I'm not convinced it works as well as the previous tracks. The sean-nos route is not as easy as it might seem. But Williams in general proves she can deliver the goods in an original context and it would be a pity if her talents were to go astray before she got to share them with the public at large. • Chris Woodman, Tunetown Swansea 2004: Review of 12 tracks of acoustic recordings “Nicola Williams has given me a 12 track album. And it's great...the songs are mood personified...Nicola's vocal range is impressive and her voice is pure. There is some percussion sprinkled throughout the album to keep the songs in check and interesting, which it is, but it's predominantly vocal/acoustic guitar ...it's musical Chemotherapy”
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