Review / 200 Words Or Less
William DuVall
One Alone

DVL (2019) Kevin Fitzpatrick

William DuVall – One Alone cover artwork
William DuVall – One Alone — DVL, 2019

In the 13 years that William DuVall has fronted Alice In Chains, sharing vocal duties with Jerry Cantrell he has left an indelible mark on the band’s music making AIC a band to still be reckoned with, even 35 years after their inception. Their newest album Rainier Fog being proof positive of the strength of that legacy.

Throughout his career in groups like Neon Christ, No Walls and Comes With The Fall, DuVall has shown range and depth while maintaining a bulletproof swagger that’s hard to ignore.

But with his first solo album One Alone, DuVall manages to replace that swagger with a confident but quiet vulnerability that’s just as hard to ignore. Finding strength in the stillness is no easy feat, but that’s exactly what One Alone manages to accomplish. A collection of love songs, essentially. Love lost, love found, and all the messy bits in between.

There’s something to be said for music that’s stripped down to its essence - in this case a voice, and an acoustic guitar. Free from the typical distractions and embellishments of a studio record, what DuVall gives us with One Alone is an album with 11 variations of the raw truth that’s a true pleasure to hear.

William DuVall – One Alone cover artwork
William DuVall – One Alone — DVL, 2019

Recently-posted album reviews

Miller Lowlifes

Pinch Hitters
ADD Records (2025)

The debut album from Florida punk band Miller Lowlifes features a vintage baseball theme, best enjoyed with a can of cheap domestic beer in hand. The metaphor fits, as Pinch Hitters focuses on the American dream -- and where it stands in 2025. The vintage educational TV audio clips add to this past-meets-present theme. It's an album that's equally about … Read more

Art Brut

Sorry, That It Doesn't Sound Like It's Planned! Battling Satan, 2009 - 2020
Edsel Records (2025)

I’ve never reviewed a box set before but Art Brut released my favourite sprechgesang anti-art-punk album of the early aughts so I figured I’d give it a go. 2005’s Bang Bang Rock & Roll placed Art Brut among the “Art Wave” scene but was more post-punk revival than “Indie Sleaze”. Argos has cited Jonathan Richman and Axl Rose as his … Read more

The Slow Death

No Light To See
Don’t Sing Records (2025)

Few bands have as fitting a name as The Slow Death. They play forlorn, self-deprecating punk that’s heavily influenced by lonesome country. The music itself is more driving and punchy, but many of the lyrics would fit just well in a somber old-timey country ballad. It’s forceful music that punches inward instead of at The Man. The first song is … Read more