Album Review: You Are Here

Ollie Hussey
Jan 26
5 min read

Bryony Williams' debut full-length album is the crowning jewel in her growing discography.

Bryony Williams standing in front of the Bullring in Birmingham

I was first made aware of Bryony Williams after I joined a Dream Wife WhatsApp group chat way back in 2020 for people to share their music. I must confess, her State I’m In EP is the only one I remember so I apologise if you were in that chat. The EP was fun, raw and catchy. I was therefore very happy when Bryony sent her debut album over to us here at BT.

The record kicks off with Trip Me Up, a fast-paced, Wet Leggy rocker. While the album as a whole handles the homemade aesthetic pretty well, here the production is a little lacking in low end for my taste, leaving the track sounding like it wants to kick into another gear. Any Wet Leg comparisons can pretty much say goodbye once those reverb-soaked guitars come in, which becomes a staple of the way Williams paints her songs. It's a fairly strong opener, with a catchy chorus and some pretty harmonies.

Inbetween Days is then very Britpop sounding, the chorus reminding me a little of something Sleeper might write. The vocals are super sharp here which really helps to emphasise how good the chorus is. The instrumentation is minimal, with more crunching guitars and a very singable guitar solo. I can’t help but think there needs to be a bit more punch somewhere, perhaps with a little more boost in the low end or really going for it with the drums. I do enjoy the vocal effect on this one though, I think it really works with the style that Williams has gone for.

Next up, a super country-sounding effort called The Party, complete with brushed snare and steel guitar. This is much more well-rounded production-wise too; it has the necessary body and weight to fit the lyrics, which really focus on the story-telling. The lyrics flow nicely, there's no squeezing into syllabic patterns. I also feel like it’s the kind of song that would work just as well slowed down as it is very melancholy-feeling despite the tempo. To me, that's the sign of a good song. If you can change the vibe completely and it still hits the way it's supposed to, you're onto a winner. Sitting in between the two tracks either side, it has the potential to stick out like a sore thumb but I don't think it does.

With My Devotion comes drum machines, electronic bass, and more echoing guitar. It's a real change and contrast to The Party but isn't jarring. There are some lovely little synth sounds and palm-muted guitar parts that sit intimately in the mix and add an excellent counter-melody. It's another strong chorus, very spacey-sounding this time, again much in contrast to the last track. From here, the album really starts to shine with its use of strong melody to drive home the emotional beats.

Checking In; Checking Out is a perfect example. Now, I can’t remember the last time I saw a semi-colon being used in a song title but I do like seeing this humble piece of punctuation get an outing here. Here, there are some heavily-panned guitars treated with a Mac DeMarco amount of chorus for the verses before Williams turns up the overdrive. This one feels even more emotionally-driven, a very catchy pop song, with some real depth. It is ever so sightly let down in the chorus with treble-heavy mixing but otherwise it’s still a powerful track.

America grooves along infectiously with crunchy guitars, and the drums feel more punchy here. The guitar lines offer another lovely little counter-melody, too - which is actually much more difficult than it sounds. Lead lines played that prevalently in the mix have to blend well with the vocals otherwise they risk detracting from the lyrics. The whole vibe feels very Madison Cunningham, which is always a good thing in my eyes, and when it slows down those lyrics really sit in your heart. It makes you realise just how painfully honest the whole album is becoming - and perhaps has been all along. It's well-crafted and emotional, and possibly the highlight of the whole record.

The sole live track on the album, You Are Here was recorded at Grandflat Studio in Wolverhampton in 2022. It's soft and personal, and the nature of its being a live recording gives it a much more intimate feel. I can't help thinking that this idea could have been developed a little more, instead of it feeling slightly like an intermission rather than a song in its own right. In terms of the track-listing, I do think it works as the follow up to America, retaining that melancholy feeling. The melody for the chorus is really simple and lovely and there is a calming wash of pad synths in the background.

Berlin crackles and pulses with a sprinkle of guitars decorating the track. Again, I just love Williams’ ear for melody. The groove is gently teased but when the song kicks in properly, it really works. The drums are pretty tight, although it does feel as though they were programmed rather than played live. However, I could be wrong! Again, there are more lovely wet reverb sounds. I’m a sucker for them. It feels nice and warm, especially with the additional acoustic guitars.

Then, Ambrose gently crescendoes into life. The guitars feel as though they emulate patched synthesiser sounds which I do really like, with loads of nice delay on them. There is the introduction of some lush strings, which I don’t think have been used so far. The chorus is repetitive and catchy. I do feel like I was waiting for a drop the whole time, even when it seems to arrive I’m wanting more punch, more bite, more ambition.

On the final track Into Dusk, we have a return to the drum machine sounds we found on My Devotion, and it feels like it is revisiting elements of all the tracks on the album which is always a nice feeling when at the end of a record. This feels like a My Love Is Cool-era Wolf Alice track, and here Bryony best showcases her beautifully soft and emotive voice. Some great overlapping, spoken-word backing vocals which give the song a good bit of texture. 'I'm yours to keep,' is just such a personal and intimate thing to say, and this track absolutely backs that sentiment up with a luscious end to the record.

It’s amazing what power genuinely good songs have; you can have all the production budget in the world but it doesn’t always correlate with a good album. That being said, I do feel as though some of the songs could have done with some boosts in places, just to round them out and give them the power that they deserve. However, the album grows and grows in quality and almost every track is its own entity that I would happily revisit. Starting off fast-paced and witty before becoming slower and more introspective, the whole record is bound tightly together with personal, emotional lyrical themes, which keeps the project cohesive and touching. If anything, this first full-length effort displays not only Bryony Williams' evident talent but also that her ceiling is incredibly high.

Listen to the album here.