Lions

William Fitzsimmons’ fifth studio album, *Lions*—produced by Chris Walla, guitarist for Death Cab for Cutie and producer of Tegan & Sara, The Decemberists, and The Postal Service—often works with hushed arrangements that recall the forlorn work of Elliott Smith, Pete Yorn, Iron & Wine, and Brendan Gamble. Walla and Fitzsimmons focus on vocals, harmonies, fingerpicked acoustic guitar, and piano, with subtle synths and other atmospheric methods all pushed to the back of the mix. This lets songs like “Fortune,” “Blood/Chest,\" and “Hold On” reach their full emotional potential. A former mental health counselor born to blind parents, Fitzsimmons plays with a dedicated focus; he understands his music is best when it creates a consistent, unspoiled mood. A suggestion of a nasty electric guitar starts “Centralia,” and its sense of menace hangs over the pretty folk melody as the song progresses minute to minute, with a string section being cut off at song’s end. Few songs as gorgeous as “Sister” exist in any genre. Thankfully, Fitzsimmons understands not to challenge such simple beauty but to let it flow from his soul. 

Hirsute Midwest singer/songwriter William Fitzsimmons has a knack for crafting incredibly measured (almost hypnotically so), deeply personal, largely finger-picked folk confections that flirt with AOR pop without losing any of their artisan luster.

You find your humble correspondent poised uncertainly between two opposing poles. Firstly, a sense of general approval towards a dude with such distinguished nomenclature – which is then undone by anticipatory despair with regards to yet another white dude wielding an acoustic guitar, singing dolefully about girls. Quite the quandary.

Singer-songwriter William Fitzsimmons comes with excellent credentials. His previous records, five in all, were exceedingly well received. W...