Littlebear

I bought this album one or two years ago. The more I listen to it, the more I think it's a masterpiece. Everything that's great in US folk roots is condensed here.

'you're still standing there' from i feel alright. great song & one of my fave albums ever. in fact, i'm going to quit listening to west & listen to that.

I was listening to I Feel Alright last night and didn't find it that great. It's just a collection of songs "in the style of". West is much better than that.

Anyone ever hear the "Happy Birthday, Bob" song by Loudon Wainwright III? It's pretty damn good.

Yeah. He even imitates Bob's voice, it's funny.

It's on the album History. I'm a fan of Loudon and have pretty much all of his albums.

musically, West has grabbed me from track 3 to 11 especially, I found it flawless

when she rocks, she doesn't go over the top like on WWT, but anyway she's mostly quiet and melodic, and especially subtle in a moody way, if that makes any sense. Her music finds some edgy harmonies here that you didn't find in Essence. "Fancy Funeral" and "Rescue" made a special effect on me.

This record, I played on headphones, and it went right to my blood, really, in some comfortable zone. Thanks to Lu's voice which marks a great return to form, for my pure pleasure!

Here are how I would rate the Lucinda Williams albums:

Ramblin: 2

Happy Woman Blues: 3

Lucinda Williams: 5

Sweet Old World: 4

I need to listen to again the following ones, but my latest ratings were:

Car Wheels on a Gravel Road: 5

Essence: 5

World Without Tears: 3

At the Fillmore: 2

and after one listen so far:

West: 5 (or maybe just 4, it depends on how it grows on me, but it can't be below a 4)

Do you know that Tanya Donelly covers George Harrison's "Long Long Long" on that live album? (recorded in 2004)

Have not yet heard West but, really, how bad can it be? She's a treasure.

I don't want to convince anyone, but I'd bet you'll be surprised to hear how much it's good. And that lyrics don't give a big clue of what this album is.

By the way, I've been to amazon reading customers reviews: I'm glad much of them are as enthusiastic as me and a few others here.

I'm sure that Lucinda, being the daughter of a respected poet, would say that lyrics are one of the most important parts of her work. It's one reason why she's so acclaimed. It is a bad thing for her to put out an album with mediocre lyrics.

 

By the way, if you "don't listen to lyrics," does it mean that you don't hear good lyrics either?).

 

On another side note, I'm expecting Sky Blue Sky to be lyrically similar (a.k.a. bland) to West. Prove me wrong fellas!

 

Good music is nothing without good lyrics, unless it's instrumental. Otherwise, it's just annoying, like being patronized.

But Lucinda probably doesn't find her lyrics bad, otherwise she wouldn't have recorded them. She may suppose, as myself, that "mediocre" lyrics don't necessarily make a bad song, she may find the values of a song in the honesty with which it's put, with lyrics expressing exactly what she felt. To me Lucinda is that kind of songwriter, she's true to herself, even with the bad sides.

I can be aware of great lyrics when they catch my attention, whether I hear them or read them (I'm French, so I don't catch English lyrics as easily as English speakers).

I totally disagree with the idea that good music is bad without good lyrics.

The Beatles made a lot of bad songs, with your point of view. But "She Loves You" is a great song to me.

You don't have to prove

Your manhood to me constantly

I know you're the man can't you see

I love you Righteously

 

Why you wanna dis me

After the way you been kissin' me

After those pretty things you say

And the love we made today

 

When you run your hand

All up and run it back down my leg

Get excited and bite my neck

Get me all worked up like that

 

Think this through

I laid it down for you everytime

Respect me I give you what's mine

You're entirely way too fine

 

Arms around my waist

You get a taste of how good this can be

Be the man you ought to tenderly

Stand up for me

 

Flirt with me don't keep hurtin' me

Don't cause me pain

Be my lover don't play no game

Just play me John Coltraine

 

Nuff said....

 

LouieB

That's not nuff said to me: I don't see how these lyrics can be so laughable or ridiculous. They express a feeling. Every people can feel that way.

Glad someone agrees with me....sadly this is what alot of people heard, mainly on the radio. It is hardly indicitive of her actual body of work fortunately, but yea, its pretty terrible.

 

LouieB

I don't like this song much either, but because of the music, not the lyrics.

Nothins is particularly wrong with it, its just kinda stupid....

Why?

LouieB, there isn't any trouble with the older Lucinda, I'm a big fan... the only trouble *may* be about Car Wheels fanatics

West isn't a new Car Wheels? Well, for the better! It's another kind of masterpiece

to me, Lucinda Williams (the 88 album) was a masterpiece, too

and West is, too - I don't mind much the punches critics give to the lyrics

for example I don't see what's wrong about saying "bite my neck and play John Coltrane"

With Lu it's all about the music, the voice, the moods, the feelings she gives to us

At least I can certainly say to you that I'm not a fan of Car Wheels "for the lyrics"

I'm afraid it's not useful to keep on explaining, I think my post was clear and fair, but you won't need to get my point anyway...

Oh, and may I add that I'm a big fan of country music...

Apparently I prefer the "fake" Lucinda.

see my little correction above

Now I really have to hear this.....Car Wheels is a masterpiece; I find it hard to believe this is also.

 

(Anyone want to bite my neck and give me John Coltrane???? )

 

LouieB

My point: West avoids all what scared me on world Without Tears: it's musically tasty, perfectly produced, more away from alt.country cliches. If you know the music of Matthew Ryan for example, I'd say it's closer to that kinf of stuff. It's strictly the sensual Lucinda. Like a more American Cat Power. It's like Essence, but more rich and focused, it keeps the same qualities of flow.

Car Wheels may be a masterpiece as a collection of songs, but it doesn't have the perfect flow of a whole album. To boot, it might have got old with years, production included.

West is the real Lucinda (or if you prefer what she "is now"), what she wanted to make for years now. She really needed to get away from the Car Wheels sticker.

Nina Nastasia ~ On leaving (2006)

Hey, that album is very good!

I finally started to listen to this album: people, you're crazy! This album is a MASTERPIECE!

This is the album Lucinda needed to make for years now. It's the real Lucinda, tender, moody, physical, sensual. This music holds you tenderly tight from start to finish. Pure beauty!

THANK YOU LUCINDA!! I love you.

The two best advance copies I've listened to in the past weeks:

The first band is called Papercuts, it's a singer songwriter called Jason Quever, based in San Francisco. It's his second official album here.

The other band is called Radical Face, it's a singer songwriter called Ben Cooper.

For both, really nice music. Papercuts is more bright, Radical Face is more melancolic.

And on Essence there is a track printed BLUE on the back cover.

I understand being defensive about Lucinda's new album. The fact much people don't like it doesn't mean it must force everyone to face the fact it may be bad or uneven. So much people can be wrong together, you know.

I have got the album two days ago but haven't given it a spin yet.

What I know is I don't care much of the lyrics, to some extent. For me, it's 90% in the voice. If the voice doesn't work, then the whole thing doesn't work. Or it may have a balance. Lucinda used to have the perfect balance (voice,music, lyrics). I'll listen to West as early as I'm in the mood.

Very interesting new record - intense, ambitious. Kevin Barnes sounds more at ease with each album. Now that I appreciate this record and the previous one so much, I certainly need to listen to the others again to be sure I haven't missed anything, and that he really evolved artistically.

I'm playing Of Montreal's Sunlandic Twins for the fourth time in a row. Just can't be tired of it, every song sounds so cool, catchy and beautiful, it's addictive as hell.

So I bought the 3-disc Burt Bacharach box set from Rhino, The Look Of Love. Is this man not one of the greatest songwriters off all time or what? Everytime I listen to "Walk On By" I'm convinced it's the greatest song ever

Boy, you have no idea how much I agree with you. I don't have this Bacharach box, but I take the Dionne Warwick's Greatest Hits on my desert island's Pop Top 10.

"Walk on By" is Heaven.