Holly Williams - The Ones We Never Knew (2004)

It was bound to happen someday -- somebody in Hank Williams' family tree was bound to produce a classy, tasteful album, and that somebody is Holly Williams, the granddaughter of Hank, daughter of Hank Jr., and sister of Hank III. Where her father and brother are proud of their rough, rowdy, rebellious ways, Holly is a somber, meditative adult alternative pop singer/songwriter -- which, given her lineage, might be the most rebellious thing she could have done. While her debut album, Ones We Never Knew, might be a little too quiet and self-serious, it does showcase an ambitious songwriter and soulful singer with a knack for sustaining an introspective mood and a way with words. Taken in small doses, this is quite effective -- she's creating sketches with her words and music that are quite haunting and evocative -- but by the end of the record, it's hard not to wish that she would have varied the instrumentation and tempos a little bit more, adding other sonic textures and moods to this downbeat, reflective record. In spite of this, Ones We Never Knew is a promising debut from Holly Williams -- a record strong enough to stand on its own merits, regardless of her family history.