Woodpecker Wooliams, aka a musical alter-ego of Brighton(ish)-based songwriter Gemma Williams (pictured), is no more. This project was laid to rest in September 2013. But the Wooliams moniker has been retired with quite the stirring eulogy in the form of this video for ‘Crow’, which certainly qualifies for the initials N, S, F and W.
‘Crow’ is taken from Wooliams/Williams’ acclaimed album as the Woodpecker, ‘The Bird School Of Being Human’, released via Robot Elephant Records in 2012. A collection of folk-inspired features colliding with cold electronics, lo-fi trappings and murderous lyricism, it’s the sort of set that makes a man question why its maker would want to call time on such a celebrated venture. But perhaps that’s why we’re not musicians.
This video, directed by Leonardo Machado, graphically explores the album’s dark themes of domestic abuse, depression and personality disorders. While other artists use a flash of flesh to titillate their teenage audiences, Williams’ material is rather more cerebral than that, and the imagery of ‘Crow’ beautifully brutal in its honesty.
Robot Elephant has also made four remixes of ‘Crow’ available to download for free, so if this track is doing it for you, click here.
Video, below…
Woodpecker Wooliams used to live online here.
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