Caught in the Carousel

William Tell

You Can Hold Me Down
New Door Records

William Tell

Unless you're a die-hard Something Corporate fan, the name William Tell probably doesn't conjure up many images beyond the crossbows and apples of Swiss folklore. And, when the Southern California guitarist split from the successful band in 2004, William Tell the musician took a huge chance at remaining in relative obscurity. However, with his solo debut You Can Hold Me Down, Tell has put together a ten-song collection of radio-ready, hook-powered pop offerings, which are refreshingly introspective. The introspection begins with the album title itself, which is both a statement of surrender and control. When Tell sings, "I'm going to hold you the way you hold me down" it's a thoughtful reflection on the complexity of relationships. Throughout the album Tell's lyrics are as at home building the pop melody for a strong guitar riff ("Jeannie") as they are in supplying a discernible narrative, like on the darker "Young At Heart." One senses that music has always been therapeutic for Tell and "Slipping Under (Sing Along To Your Favorite Song)" is a direct statement to that effect. You can always escape to the comfort and familiarity of a great song. And, there is always safety in numbers. In what is probably the album's true single, "Trouble," Tell sings, "The trouble I've found/It's not only just in me/We've all got it somehow somewhere..." The only way you come to that conclusion is by putting yourself out there and opening yourself up. Tell has opened himself up on this album the way many good songwriters do. Taking a page from his former band's name, he has also done so in a way that is very marketable.

—Daniel Galleno