Personnel includes: Dar Williams (vocals, guitar); Richard Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky (vocals); Larry Campbell (acoustic & pedal steel guitars, dobro, bouzouki); Steven Miller (acoustic guitar, tambourine); Shane Fontayne (guitar, dobro); Jeff Golub (guitar, slide guitar); Bill Dillon (guitar); Erik Friedlander (cello); William Galison (bass harmonica); Charlie Giordano (accordian); Lincoln Goines (acoustic & electric basses); Mark Egan (bass); Sammy Merendino (drums, loops); Glen Velez (bodhran, frame drum, riq, tambourine, pandeiro); Roger Squitero (congas); Carol Steele (timbales); Amy Fairchild, Justina Golden, Joyce Zymeck, Dee Carstensen, Lorraine Ferro, Kaz Silver (background vocals).

Recorded in Dar's Bedroom, Massachusetts; Slaughterhouse Recording, Hadley, Massachusetts; Live Wire Recording, Spa Studios and Sorcerer Sound, New York, New York.

On her third album, contemporary folk singer-songwriter Dar Williams once again proves herself to be an insightful, compassionate and witty teller of tales with a lovely, versatile voice. Standouts on END OF THE SUMMER include "What Do You Hear in These Sounds?" which cleverly describes conversations with a therapist: "It's just me and all the memories to follow/Down any course that fits within a fifty-minute hour." Williams gets even more whimsical on songs like the playful rocker "Teenagers, Kick Our Butts." She turns with ease to Joan Baez-like folkiness on the dreamy, bittersweet ballad "The End of the Summer" and the poignancy of the sad, understated "You Will Not Write Me Again."

Entertainment Weekly (7/18/97, p.85) - "...Given her pretty folk-rock melodies (with more elaborate arrangements than on previous albums), conversational singing, and the sheer detail of her lyrics, Williams' songs will have no trouble connecting with you." - Rating: B