Canadian singer-songwriter William Prince releases his fourth full length album ‘Stand In Joy’ which comes after 2020 releases, ‘Reliever’ and ‘Gospel First Nation’. His voice reminiscent of Cash, Stapleton and Cobb teamed alongside his refreshingly simple yet effective lyrics; ‘Stand In Joy’ is a fantastic record which deserves a lot of credit.
The record begins with ‘When You Miss Someone’, where Prince describes the physical hallmarks of longing. You might not relate exactly to Prince’s example; ‘you can stand in front of the Eiffel Tower and wish you were in Winnipeg,’ but you know the feeling. The twist, Prince’s realisation, is that this is just a feeling, and it need not hold you back. His calm and soothing voice compliments the relaxed instrumental backing. This album has a sense of effortless simplicity throughout with Prince’s writing avoiding country cliches and instead it focuses effort on well thought out lyrics throughout instead.
‘Tanqueray’ is a song that captures the head rush of new love, the kind that sets larger things – including the story of this album – in motion. ‘I want to be like Johnny Cash, an artist for the people,’ says William.
‘Young’ tells the story of how time has progressed over the years with the opening line ‘cover band sign me up, play some Metallica’ hinting back at Prince’s younger musical years and if you’re a musician yourself, the story of playing in rock cover bands may spark fond memories of the beginning of your journey. On the other hand, ‘Only Thing We Need’, reflects upon the passing of time during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020. Time is a large theme within ‘Stand In The Joy’ not necessarily just as nostalgia but also as progression and the movement of life.
‘Broken Heart of Mine’ edges into traditional country with lap steel creeping its way into the mix alongside the theme of heartbreak. Prince’s voice suits this traditional style of country and fans of George Strait and Glenn Campbell should enjoy his spin on it. Prince has found a way to connect to his fans on a deeper level with songs such as this.
‘Don’t go faulting the assembly, how I’m dealing with this heartbreak, I’m just doing what they taught me, with a guitar and a drink’.
‘Goldie Hawn’ speaks powerfully of the woman that matters most to Prince; his wonderful fiancé Alyshia Grace and it offers a variety of synonyms to sum up his feelings towards her. A standout track on the album, Princes lyrics are engrained with grace and smoothness against the fingerpicked guitar backing, where as ‘Easier and Harder’ paints the realistic picture of how love works. Getting easier and harder, the truth about love is it doesn’t come all at once, it’s a process as Prince will describe.
Restrained yet powerful, ‘Stand in the Joy’ emanates warmth and comfort. Produced by Dave Cobb, the album was recorded in the Grammy-winner’s studio, Low Country South in Savannah, Georgia, which became the perfect backdrop for the decidedly spring-like optimism that permeates the collection. ‘Stand in the Joy’ is a combination of Prince and Cobb, lead guitarist and frequent Prince player Mike T. Kerr, and musicians including Chris Powell (drums), Brian Allen (base), Paul Franklin (pedal steel), Lee Pardini (keyboard), with the exquisite backing vocals performed by fiancée and album inspiration Alyshia Grace.
As he continues to build his body of work, Prince’s music stands shoulder to shoulder with the upper echelons of songwriters, artists who are at once his heroes and his peers. The connection William Prince makes with his listeners, the connection those listeners make to his music, has deepened over time to build an unbreakable bond of comfort and companionship through song. Through his first three full-length albums, William Prince traced a personal journey through struggle and sorrow, and his songs have been there for people when they need it most. With his new album, the songwriter now makes a statement about happiness, generously sharing his own in the same way that he has shared everything that has come before. Prince is in a good place, and he worked very hard to get here. This album is about being in this place, together.
Track listing: 1. When You Miss Someone 2. Only Thing We Need 3. Tanqueray 4. Young 5. Broken Heart of Mine 6. Pasadena 7. Goldie Hawn 8. Easier and Harder 9. Peace of Mind 10. Take a Look Around Record label: Six Shooter Records Release date: 14th April 2023 Buy ‘Stand in the Joy’ now
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