Justin Clyde Williams told me in a brief email interview that “My mom's side of the family are a bunch of grassers and she's a rocker so I had a bunch of old country and bluegrass sitting around a lot of southern rock, of course your parents' music ain’t cool which led to a real long metal phase.” His website bio summarizes this perfectly, stating that he was “Raised on the sounds of traditional country and bluegrass music with a variety of influences…” and that he “...always leaves people wanting more with an unwavering experience that is blunt, therapeutic, candid and above all - unforgettable.” 

With running themes of love, loss, redemption and catharsis, Empty Rooms has all of the elements listed above, incorporated into an enduring country album. Williams’ vocals (he says humbly, “I think I could stand a vocal lesson or 12”) have beautiful Appalachian depth with contemporary clarity, and when combined with acoustic guitar and fiddle, weave the listener into a relatable fabric of bad decisions, regret, and taking the chance of alienating loved ones to chase a dream. 

In the first track, “Blood on Your Hands,” JCW paints a picture of lovers whose relationship has devolved into a reconciliation turned  quiet argument: he-cheated-because- she-did-because-he-did. He suggests that instead of trying to work things out, or even to get even again, they both cut their losses and walk away with the dignity they have left, although neither will ever be able to wash the proverbial blood from their hands, having knowingly and willingly caused the death of the relationship. 

“Boys From Broken Homes” is a standout deep cut for this listener. A song about the struggles of addiction and the crime that frequently comes with it, this is also a song about choices made and consequences faced. The song, however, dares to hope for second chances: not only for the children of incarcerated men, but also for their partners, and even the inmates, who  themselves, are boys from broken homes.

Williams asserts that he will “probably spend my last tomorrow fixing what I missed today” in the opening lines of “Kansas City.” This song is an ode to trying to balance life on the road and life at home, and hoping that he is giving each life an equal share, but deeply sensing that maybe he’s not.

The title track “Empty Rooms” is a poignant journey through the grind of a musician far from home, paying dues at a different club every night, often with few, if any, patrons. He can shut out the loneliness and uncertainty of chasing the dream by closing his eyes at night to get through, but it’s just not that simple when the paychecks come from the “Empty Rooms.” The other side of this coin is “Livin’ Hard.” We find a seasoned touring musician advising a younger charge on the pitfalls of this life, as well as the joys and memorable moments. Hint: There are more pitfalls than joys, and it’s all memorable until the drinking and drugs become the addiction instead of the music. 

“Back Turned to You” is a song for a songwriter’s songwriter. The listener isn’t sure if Williams is talking to a Girl, Music, or God, and even after several spins, this listener thinks that it could be any, or all, of them. In a rousing crescendo bridge, he professes:

“There’s nothing to prove and no one to lean on when you’re fueling the flames / The way backsliders do / Facing rock bottom but when I fall through / No hope for salvation when my back’s turned to you”

Other tracks include “Breach the Gates,” a song about someone special finding the chink in the emotional armor; “No Demise,” detailing a relationship surviving the odds and obstacles; and “Good Times” which opens feeling very bluesy, and carries through well, evoking the remorse of love gone wrong. Justin names "Good Times" as probably his favorite song on the album because “it's a reminder to be grateful.” 

One of the notable elements of this record is Williams’ consistency as a picker, but he says, again self-deprecatingly, “I took a couple years of classical guitar back in high school. I wish I remembered some of that stuff.” The premier feature, however, is the songwriting, which feels very personal, so much so that the listener is seemingly drawn into 8mm home movie scenes from someone else’s life.  When asked about his personal ties to the album, Justin said:
“For the most part these songs are the result of me working through things that have happened to me or in a couple cases someone close to me. Even a couple good things. The opening track is the only one I wrote just to write and even still it wound up being pretty close to a past relationship. “Livin' Hard” sprung from a conversation with a buddy.” 

Empty Rooms is a well-produced acoustic album. In this listener's opinion - which favors craft over entertainment for its own sake - the ebb and flow of the voice, guitar, and fiddle arrangements are musically exquisite and the lyrical quality is a refreshing observation on love, smoky beer joints, and the life and times of a touring musician. In our troubled age, these simple, human sentiments are a true oasis for country music fans.
Williams himself finds his own oasis and catharsis in recording. “I've been sitting on these songs for a while and recording stresses me out. I wanted to blow off some steam so I can go back in and track some stuff with a band. Some of these and some others. I've been stressing myself out over releasing new songs. Now I can go in there, not rush and have a good time and folks got something to listen to.”

Steam away, Mr. Williams, steam away.
“No Demise” and “Empty Rooms” and “Kansas City”, are currently available on most streaming services, a video for "Kansas City" has been released on YouTube, and Empty Rooms is available for album pre-order, with a release date of October 8, 2021.

Find out more about Justin Clyde Williams here:

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