Out There Live

1	As Cool as I Am 3:47
2	If I Wrote You 4:05
3	Spring Street 5:00
4	I Won't Be Your Yoko Ono Intro 2:13
5	I Won't Be Your Yoko Ono 3:37
6	February 3:57
7	The Ocean 5:20
8	Better Things 3:02
9	Iowa 5:32
10	End of the Summer 4:26
11	We Learned the Sea 2:47
12	Are You Out There Intro 0:21
13	Are You Out There 3:02
14	When I Was a Boy 5:06
15	What Do You Hear in These Sounds 4:10
16	After All 4:49
17	The Babysitter's Here Intro 1:43
18	The Babysitter's Here 4:18
19	Christians and Pagans 3:31

Barnes & Noble

Dubbed "the Blair Brown of folk" (read: smart, literate, funny, introspective, honest, compassionate), the dynamic Dar Williams has captured a devoted following with incisive, soul-searching, short-story songs delving into the dilemmas of modern-day women, where the personal is political, psychological, and spiritual. Since she burst out of the New England coffeehouse circuit in the early '90s, Williams has released four critically acclaimed albums. Out There Live, recorded over three sold-out shows on the Green World Tour of 2000, captures her engaged -- and engaging -- essence and energy with 16 songs culled from each of her previous albums, providing an inspiring primer for the uninitiated and a career retrospective for her fans. Williams's full-throated soprano soars through finger-picked ballads, witty odes, rousing anthems, and outright rockers, interspersed with her popular banter. Standout tracks include the upbeat scorned-lover's battle cry "As Cool As I Am," the pensive end-of-the-affair "If I Wrote You," the catchy, Beatlesque "I Won't Be Your Yoko Ono," the delicately mournful "End of the Summer," the Gaelic-flavored late-night-radio homage "Are You Out There," the wistful, we-are-one "When I Was a Boy," the witty therapist-knows-best "What Do You Hear in These Sounds," and the chronically depressed lament "After All." In a lost world trying to find its way, Out There Live is a committed reminder that all of us out there gotta have heart and humanity.--Janie Matthews

All Music Guide

There are a number of reasons to like the music of Dar Williams, including good lyrics, a contemporary sensibility, and an ability to craft memorable tunes. There are also a couple of good reasons to like Out There Live. First, it offers a nice overview of her musical career, selecting 16 tunes from four albums, from The Honesty Room in 1993 to The Green World in 2000. Next, it's an energetic live set, at times quiet and intimate, at other times rocking and rolling with a full band. "As Cool as I Am" proves a lively set opener, complete with drums, organ, and screaming fans, while a sparkling urgency fills "Spring Street." A quiet sadness lends itself to personal pieces like "If I Wrote You" and "End of Summer," leaving the audience in a hushed trance. Williams' amusing introduction to "I Won't Be Your Yoko Ono" also offers a feminist twist on John Lennon and Ono's relationship, while she jokingly extols the virtues of free-speech radio on the minds of teenagers in "Are You out There." Great pieces like "The Christians and the Pagans," a family snapshot taken during Christmas/solstice, and "The Babysitter's Here," a wry look at the '60s, also make appearances. Out There Live will please Williams' fans and inspire everyone else to go out and buy her first four albums. Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.