On the dark side

Music Row
By Brian Rademaekers

Step through the doors of Germ Books and you’ll know you’re in place where the bizarre and extraordinary reign supreme.
From the creepy mannequin that greets you to the piles of occult literature and UFO artwork, Germ oozes with the otherworldly.
It’s not a far leap, then, to guess that David Williams — owner and operator of the Fishtown bookstore — might be the kind of guy who appreciates the more peculiar things in life.
Listen to his music though, and all doubts about that speculation are put to rest. Williams isn’t just drawn to the dark and weird. He revels in it.
And somehow, he comes out sounding pretty good in the process.
While Williams’ work at the bookstore and his association with his late wife — Germ founder, painter and musician Jennifer Bates — might overshadow his musical work locally, that’s not necessarily the case outside of Fishtown.
In November, Italy saw the release of The Appeal of Discarded Orthodoxy: A Tribute to David E. Williams on the Old Europa Café label. The tribute, which is just starting to trickle into the States, spans two generations of electronic and experimental musicians and towers at 35 tracks.
Those works reflect a diverse take on the more than 20 years of songwriting that Williams has chalked up. Even in all that time, Williams has kept his own unique style intact.
It’s a sound that combines beautifully written electronic music with dark and often humorous ballads to emerge as a symphony of brooding textures and contrasting emotions. Though there is no disputing that the more perverse and abnormal facets of human nature seduce Williams, his songs always have their own twist on those shadowy elements that seem to brighten them with irony, absurdity and a new perspective.
And you’ll never mistake his work for that of any other artist, though if you’ve never heard him it might help to think of Williams’ music as exhibiting tinges of Scott Walker, Nick Cave, David Bowie, and even Weird Al Yankovic in his more frivolous moments.
In celebration of the tribute album ("And I’m not even Dead!" jokes Williams), the Fishtown musician will be doing his first solo show in two years on Saturday.
Williams took the long break to help care for an ailing Bates, who died last spring after a long battle with leukemia.
Still, in that time, he contributed to the albums of other artists and has managed to write a decent chunk of new material that reflects the rough period of his life.
"In all, I’ll be playing five new songs and six that have never been recorded before," says Williams, half-jokingly noting that the topics range from "leukemia to suicide."
Also on his set list is a performance of Franz Schubert’s 1815 take on the Goeth poem Erlkonig, or Elf King. While the piano piece is solidly a classical one, Williams said he was always drawn to it because of some seemingly modern elements.
"There is this weird pattern in the left hand that is very electronic," says Williams. "When I first heard it, I thought in the back of my head that it was something that had been written for a synthesizer."
Williams also intends to sing the vocals in German. "It’s almost like the ultimate punk rock travesty that I’m even attempting this," says Williams. "It’s either total madness or a complete disregard for my audience."
Williams said that, while he does not have extensive plans to rejuvenate his live-show schedule, he does have enough new songs that a new album may emerge within the year.
But for now, music fans should jump at the chance to see this master of dark folk and symphonic pop in one of his rare performances.
Williams will be the headliner as part of a Winter Solstice celebration at Eris Temple in West Philly that will also feature eight other bands and other performances. ••
For more information on Williams’ music, visit www.davidewilliams.com.

Check it out . . .
Who: David E. Williams
What: Dark symphonic pop tinged with humor and genius.
Where: Eris Temple, 602 S. 52nd.
When: Saturday at 8 p.m. Donations accepted.