Hey! It's an early David Jett review of the new Lucinda Williams cd that comes out this upcoming Tuesday!
Well, now, Lucinda Williams is in love. I'm guessing that by her new album's first song "Real Love." Some of the best albums by great artists have been the result of a good, old-fashion heart-wrenching break-up. We all love to cry in our beer. But Lu is really head over boots about this new guy, as furthered evidenced by the rocker "Honey Bee" and a song prophetically called "Plan To Marry." I don't know who this new guy in her life is, but I do know he better buckle up, cause this southern gal will take him on a wild ride, cause some of her lyrics have that double entendre thing going where she's actually singing about...ahem...sex.
So how is her new album? The short version: some country, some blues, some southern goth, some great guitar playing from Doug Pettibone (I saw him play with her the last time she was in town. He had more guitar effect pedals than I have ever seen. And he used them all to great and/or subtle effect. Depended on the song. He could rock with all get-out or just set a mood. That's why he's such a great fit with Lucinda.)
A Lucinda Williams album always plays like the annual southern music issue of The Oxford American. She always points out the good points. Even if she's singing about something sad. "It's clear you have a death wish." That's the opening line from her song "Little Rock Star," an ode to talented musicians (Kurt Cobain?) who end up taking their own lives in some fashion. If you know anything about Lucinda, you know she hasn't had an easy life. She's had her problems. Hell, the chick's half looney! And I say that because I love her! But she's almost calling these rockers out, as if she was saying, "hey, I've been through a lot of stuff in my life and I'm still standing!" As her lyrics say "to toss it away would be such a shame." It would.
Guess who pops up on this cd? Jim Lauderdale. Charlie Louvin. Both have good non-mainstream country cred. (Like she would let Toby Keith or Faith Hill sing on one of her cd's...cracker, please!) And then there's this English guy named Elvis who shows up on a duet track called "Jailhouse Tears." Talk about two people with unlikely singing voices who still sound beautiful. (Was Neil Young not available to join in?) This song plays like a Mississippi version of "Fairytale of New York." (Google it; I can't live your life for you...) By the way, this song is so great it's a shame I'll have to burn a version of this album leaving it out so's that we can play it in the store. Lucinda has a way with language. Kinda like David Mamet. Or Three Six Mafia. Although to her credit, she only uses the filth and foul sparingly and she makes it sound so much sweeter than it has any right to be.
There are many other great songs on this album, but I want to get to the last one. It's the only one Lucinda didn't write. The song? "It's A Long Way To The Top." Yes, it's an AC/DC cover. As good as the players are on this, they don't compare to the guitar stylings of Angus Young. Can't really compete in that genre. What does compete, however, is Lucinda's voice. She may sing country, blues and folk, but that attitude is all rock & roll. Pete Doherty wouldn't last one night with this gal.
Well, now, Lucinda Williams is in love. I'm guessing that by her new album's first song "Real Love." Some of the best albums by great artists have been the result of a good, old-fashion heart-wrenching break-up. We all love to cry in our beer. But Lu is really head over boots about this new guy, as furthered evidenced by the rocker "Honey Bee" and a song prophetically called "Plan To Marry." I don't know who this new guy in her life is, but I do know he better buckle up, cause this southern gal will take him on a wild ride, cause some of her lyrics have that double entendre thing going where she's actually singing about...ahem...sex.
So how is her new album? The short version: some country, some blues, some southern goth, some great guitar playing from Doug Pettibone (I saw him play with her the last time she was in town. He had more guitar effect pedals than I have ever seen. And he used them all to great and/or subtle effect. Depended on the song. He could rock with all get-out or just set a mood. That's why he's such a great fit with Lucinda.)
A Lucinda Williams album always plays like the annual southern music issue of The Oxford American. She always points out the good points. Even if she's singing about something sad. "It's clear you have a death wish." That's the opening line from her song "Little Rock Star," an ode to talented musicians (Kurt Cobain?) who end up taking their own lives in some fashion. If you know anything about Lucinda, you know she hasn't had an easy life. She's had her problems. Hell, the chick's half looney! And I say that because I love her! But she's almost calling these rockers out, as if she was saying, "hey, I've been through a lot of stuff in my life and I'm still standing!" As her lyrics say "to toss it away would be such a shame." It would.
Guess who pops up on this cd? Jim Lauderdale. Charlie Louvin. Both have good non-mainstream country cred. (Like she would let Toby Keith or Faith Hill sing on one of her cd's...cracker, please!) And then there's this English guy named Elvis who shows up on a duet track called "Jailhouse Tears." Talk about two people with unlikely singing voices who still sound beautiful. (Was Neil Young not available to join in?) This song plays like a Mississippi version of "Fairytale of New York." (Google it; I can't live your life for you...) By the way, this song is so great it's a shame I'll have to burn a version of this album leaving it out so's that we can play it in the store. Lucinda has a way with language. Kinda like David Mamet. Or Three Six Mafia. Although to her credit, she only uses the filth and foul sparingly and she makes it sound so much sweeter than it has any right to be.
There are many other great songs on this album, but I want to get to the last one. It's the only one Lucinda didn't write. The song? "It's A Long Way To The Top." Yes, it's an AC/DC cover. As good as the players are on this, they don't compare to the guitar stylings of Angus Young. Can't really compete in that genre. What does compete, however, is Lucinda's voice. She may sing country, blues and folk, but that attitude is all rock & roll. Pete Doherty wouldn't last one night with this gal.