Volume Three

by Stephen Thomas ErlewineBy the time he released Volume Three, Williams had found his laid-back style and knew exactly what songs would exploit that sound to its fullest. That may mean that Volume Three doesn't feel as immediate or fresh as Volume One, but that also doesn't necessarily mean that it's a lesser album. If anything, it's more consistent. From beginning to end, there's hardly a bad track on Volume Three, with a number of songs -- such as "The Ties That Bind," "Goodbye Isn't Really Good At All," "I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me" and "I've Turned You to Stone" -- qualifying as real gems. This is the record that catapulted Williams to stardom, and after just a cursory listen, it's easy to see why.