Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

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Sat May 01 2021

1

It's hard to understand how Car Wheels On A Gravel Road could be recommended at all, let alone make it onto a list like 1001 albums. The music is generic modern country, not distinguished by creative songwriting, kickass soloists, or anything else, unless you count the Cajun lilt on a few tunes. Maybe the blandness of the music is meant to highlight the stellar pipes of Lucina Williams? Nope. Her voice is as homely and dull as dishwater. But surely the lyrics are superior? Well, not really. Lucina Williams frontloads her best tunes; the first several songs demonstrate a keen grasp of quotidian life and a sure sense of place, but by the end of the album, the lyrics are so generic they could have been written by a computer program. The best compliment I can give Car Wheels On A Gravel Road is that it isn't actively unpleasant--just boring. Is this the best modern country has to offer? I sure hope not.

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Sun Feb 21 2021

5

call it country or call it a comeback, it's a god damn masterpiece. love letter to dive bars, breakup letter to pain. fav track: 2 kool 2 be 4-gotten

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Tue Jul 06 2021

4

Had no idea who this artist was (possibly a result of my overall lack of country music knowledge) but she's left an immediate impression on me. Just a country gal with a lot of soul. It's lonely, longing, but not depressing. It's a sort of familiar loneliness that you can appreciate and drift away with. The album never dwells on one feeling for too long though, as it picks up and slows down in nice peaks and valleys. Some songs lean further in a country rock direction than simple folk. This variation is welcomed and makes the music all the more enjoyable.

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Mon Feb 15 2021

2

“Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” by Lucinda Williams (2006) Never heard of this album or this artist. I took a different approach with this one: I read the Wikipedia article on the album and the one on Lucinda Williams, plus I checked out the lyrics, all before starting to listen. I was expecting something nice. I was disappointed. In the first couple of songs, the vocal quality is worse than not good—it’s uninteresting. Later in the album she does some vocal stylings in the upper parts of her range which are good, which reveals that her usual lazy, out-of-tune style is affected, not natural. It’s off putting to me. It lacks authenticity. Her voice is much better when she’s forced to blend with another singer—another indication that drunk-sounding style (as on “Drunken Angel”) is a put on. Also, she intentionally varies the degree of her southern accent. She really pours it on in the song “Concrete and Barbed Wire”. Creepy. In “Greenville“ her vocals are better, because, I think, in this case she’s forced to blend with Emmy Lou Harris. As in “Heartbreaker” by Ryan Adams (reviewed a few days back), here’s Emmy Lou again, putting in a mediocre backup performance. Williams and Harris don’t blend, but at least Williams appears to try. Standard chord structures and rhythms with good backing instrumentals and recording quality, but her contribution to the music is limited to guitar—not much to showcase. The songwriting is what she’s known for, and she does have some talent here, painting poetic pictures of southern lower middle class ambiance. But there’s nothing here that has power. Only pity. This recording won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album of 1998. Hmmm. 2/5

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Wed Jul 06 2022

5

My rating for today is not based as much on the music or lyrics (which I did enjoy) as it is on the experience that this album gave to me today. My familiarity with Lucinda Williams comes from a friend including a selection of her tunes on some mixed tapes. Although that friend died a little over a year ago, she definitely accompanied me on my walk today as I listened to the album. She even made a point to give me a nod through a passer-by...The person asked me what time it was so that I could tell them the time and then mumble, "If you want to know the time, buy a watch."

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Sat Jul 10 2021

4

Never been all that much of a Country guy but when it comes to the travails of love and lust there is material like this that deftly trumps any rock and roll dicks out bombast... "I take off my watch and my earrings My bracelets and everything Lie on my back and moan at the ceiling Oh my baby" No content warning on that, damn.

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Mon Sep 06 2021

4

I really like her voice and style, it reminds me of a feminine version of the guy from the Eels for some reason. Great songs throughout. I just wish it didn’t get so samey, but that’s the nature of the genre sometimes.

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Tue Aug 24 2021

5

Beautiful - it doesn't sound like she's copying an older band but still is remaining true to country roots while sounding modern and fresh.

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Thu Sep 30 2021

5

I’m shocked how much I liked this, not at all my typical style but it’s just so good.

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Fri Mar 24 2023

5

Whatever else you might think of the genre, there’s no denying that this is a finely crafted, beautifully assembled collection of songs. The production is excellent and the arrangements are terrific. Williams has a knack for evocative images and storytelling. There’s a veracity and an authenticity to the writing.

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Thu Apr 15 2021

4

Not sure if I'd rank this as one of the "1001 best ever", but I really liked this! I love Americana, and the crossroads of Blues, Country, and Rock. Titular track, Lake Charles, Greenville, and Still Long For Your Kiss are all highlights.

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Mon Apr 12 2021

3

solid southern folk country

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Thu Mar 17 2022

1

Thoroughly boring and forgettable. Sounds like royalty free music composed for the SUV commercials that run after an episode of Pioneer Woman. The fact that this is Rolling Stone Magazine's 98th best album of all time shows what a complete disgrace that magazine is. Some albums get onto these sorts of lists not because the MUSIC is good or impressive, but because of their cultural context. Like wow a country woman lazily singing about “Broken down shacks, engine parts”, this album must be so heckin culturally significant!!! As if that's what makes a good album I like old folksy country music quite a bit, from the 1970s and earlier. But modern country utterly disgusts me. The way she pronounces "Pierce the skin and the blood runs through" in the first song makes me vomit.

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Wed Mar 17 2021

5

Sheryl Crow vibes, great mellow listen. Will explore artist more.

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Wed May 26 2021

5

Classic Americana.

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Thu Feb 25 2021

5

That was really quite excellent. Americana that I had missed.

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Thu Apr 22 2021

5

Really good album, with a smooth voice and country/folk/rock tunes

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Mon Jun 21 2021

5

A classic, truly.

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Fri Apr 16 2021

5

Dette er omtrent så bra country kan bli for min del! Lydbildet tar meg rett til Nashvilles skitne underside, med triste små barer og kjærester i fengsel. Tekstene har så klart litt av de vanlige country-klisjeene, men føles dypere, skarpere og mer inderlig enn det meste man hører i sjangeren. Og vokalen til Williams passer perfekt, fra savnet på Drunken Angel, til rebelsk "twang" på Joy. Låtene spenner fra klassiske country-ballader (Jackson 💕) til bluesrock, og jeg koser meg hele veien. Liker spesielt godt Joy, Drunken Angel, car wheels...

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Tue May 11 2021

5

Eetswa

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Wed Aug 25 2021

5

Great country album, a benchmark for the genre.

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Thu Oct 07 2021

5

A good album, reminds me of Tori Amos (or is it the other way round) a bit, or even a female Steve Forbert maybe? Some good tunes though and lyrically very strong I think.

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Fri Mar 25 2022

5

My first 5 starrer here. Fantastic record

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Mon Sep 19 2022

5

I got this album on release. As soon as I heard her lyrics refer to the "Drunken Angel" as a "derelict in duck tape shoes", it easily became my favourite album I bought in years and one of my ATF country albums. She was loaded with angst at the time she wrote this and poured her soul into it. The subsequent albums she made (that I've heard) haven't come close to this gem. I guess she became happier. Good for her.

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Fri Sep 30 2022

5

All good songs, and even a couple hits

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Sun Nov 20 2022

5

Just oozes authenticity. This is perhaps a bit less raggedly confessional or emotionally raw as some of her other records, which might cost a bit of power, but it also avoids the risk of sloppy sentimentality (which has been a bit of a occupational hazard for Lu) and gives a sense of control and mastery of every song. This is musicmaking at a very high level, well conceived, extremely well executed, and not overdone or showy. Every song works, and the first five are uniformly strong. The songwriting is terrific, the playing expertly professional. She's a true artist it's hard to believe there's only one of her records on this esteemed list.

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Thu Nov 24 2022

5

Song after song I thought Oh, this is a good one!

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Wed Dec 21 2022

5

"Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" is the fifth studio album from American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. The style of music is a mixture of country, pop, blues and folk and really one the albums that began and popularized the Americana/alt country genre. Yeah, when you begin a genre that's a pretty big thing and this album is worthy of that. There are guest appearances by Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris and were multiple producers in Earle, Roy Brittan, Ray Kennedy and Lucinda herself. A good description of the album are themes of heartbreak, love and losing formers lovers and friends with imagery of traveling through/in cities in the US South. The album won the 1998 Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album and Village Voice voted it the best 1998 album. Well deserved. A twangy guitar and Lucinda's exhausted voice begins "Right in Time." A great melody and pretty much a perfect sounding pop song. About her losing someone that you thought was perfect for you and, then, ummm, about enjoying yourself thinking about him. Lucinda adds some urgency in her voice to "Drunken Angels." Boy, the layered guitar production is great on this album. A more rock song. The song is about musician Blaze Foley who was shot by his friend's son in a drunken fight. The guitars give "Can't Let Go" a jamming, grinding feel. Great slide guitar and guitar solo. A guy left her and she can't forget about him. "Still I Long for Your Kiss" has a country-rock vibe. Some more great layered guitars and solos. Another song about not wanting to let someone go. Lucinda gives a rap singing style to "Joy" with bluesy guitars and a slide guitar. She traveling from town to town and about a former lover. The album concludes with the soulful/gospel-esque ballad "Jackson." She's traveling from Lafayette to Baton Rouge to Jackson trying to convince herself she won't miss her boyfriend. The album sounded absolutely great not aging since 1998. The production is fantastic and the album just moves along. Multiple styles heard but really in its own category. A must listen.

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Sun Jan 08 2023

5

Je sais pas pourquoi mais je me rend compte que j'adore le country,surtour pour des al ums ecoeurant comme ca et a petite dose. 5

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Wed Jan 25 2023

5

Stunning

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Sun Feb 05 2023

5

All round great recrod

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Mon Feb 27 2023

5

It's great. My name is Dan. I'M STEALING OTHER DANS account. - Other Dan

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Wed Mar 01 2023

5

Yeah, she’s awesome!

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Mon Mar 27 2023

5

It was a few years after-the-fact when I first listened to this one but it deserves every single bit of praise it gets. An all-timer.

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Sun Apr 16 2023

5

Refined songs with extraordinary vocals and just the right amount of edges.

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Sun Apr 16 2023

5

Absolutely flawless. Top-notch americana.

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Wed May 31 2023

5

Almost as amazing as her movie scores of star wars and Harry Potter 2

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Mon Jun 05 2023

5

LOVE IT

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Mon Jul 17 2023

5

I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did, considering I wasn’t very positive about it when I first heard it. But, outside of one glaring exception (‘Joy’ is incredibly stupid), the songs are all great. It keeps an incredible consistency in being good, and the songs are enjoyable with good lyrics. Really, I don’t completely know why I’m rating it so high, but I really enjoy it.

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Fri Sep 01 2023

5

Very nice music

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Tue Sep 05 2023

5

A masterpiece

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Thu Nov 12 2020

4

3.5

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Thu Jul 22 2021

4

interesting voice and tempo, the sound quality is pretty nice and most songs are good

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Wed Jun 16 2021

4

First song is a old indie country bop, and the rest is good country songs if i am in the mood for that relaxing country

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Wed Mar 03 2021

4

Despite this being a country album, quite enjoyed some of the songs, especially the last song, Jackson.

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Thu Feb 25 2021

4

Great album all around! I've listened through the regular version, but the deluxe is a nice step up. Disk 2 is all live versions, so I didn't get that far, but I love Lucinda!

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Wed Apr 14 2021

4

Love this album and love Lucinda Williams. 4 stars.

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Fri Jul 02 2021

4

not bad, one of a few country albums I actually enjoy

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Tue Apr 27 2021

4

A nice country folk rock album better than expected

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Tue Apr 27 2021

4

great lyrics, great voice!

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Fri Jan 22 2021

4

I love Lucinda Williams and I love this album... but the song title 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten detracts a star.

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Thu Apr 01 2021

4

Not the sort of thing I'd normally listen to but really enjoyed this. Will listen again.

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Thu Apr 01 2021

4

false

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Sat Apr 10 2021

4

Good country music, what else do I have to say?

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Thu Apr 01 2021

4

Почему бы и не кантри

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Mon May 10 2021

4

Sehr guter moderner country

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Wed Mar 24 2021

4

nie znałam zupełnie przyjemne, choć monotonne

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Mon May 10 2021

4

Noch nie gehört, aber werde mich damit beschäftigen. Tolles Album!

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Tue Jun 15 2021

4

I thought i would know what this would sound like being a hater of country music, but it was more like a rock album and absolutely loved it. Song 7 was the highlight - Can't Let Go. Will give it another listen 4 stars

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Tue May 04 2021

4

wow, I was familiar with her, but I didn't know Lucinda Williams had an album this good

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Mon Jun 14 2021

4

Never heard of Lucinda Williams before, but loved this album. Favorite song was can’t let go.

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Sat Jul 31 2021

4

Really solid Southern roots rock/country featuring Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle. What else could you want? I enjoyed reading about how Lucinda persevered and made it in the music business despite all of the forces working against her. Best track: Drunken Angel

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Sun Aug 01 2021

4

4.0 - Enjoyed this! Honest American songwriting, blues and country inflected. Straightforward instrumentation with a live studio recording feel. Some pleasant storytelling, shoutouts to Louisiana. Nice driving record and a crowd pleaser.

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Thu Aug 19 2021

4

More of Jess bag than Ian. But her voice conveys pain and longing. Certainly a lot of depth and attests to a life lived.

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Fri Sep 03 2021

4

Lo escuché muy a gusto, pensé que es una antecedente de Taylor Swift (???) y su voz me agrada bastante. Canciones fav: la que da título al disco, "Can't Let Go" y "I Lost It". 8/10

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Mon Sep 06 2021

4

Somber morning Americana with some excellent twang to it embellished by guest vocals.

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Sun Sep 26 2021

4

Хорошее такое кантри, захотелось в село, пить из соломинки самогон)

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Thu Nov 18 2021

4

Okay I might like some country

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Thu Jan 13 2022

4

I really liked this album, and would never have found it if not for this website.

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Fri Jan 21 2022

4

Uh, 2 CD-a. Iznenađujuće dobar đir. Možda bi bilo malo dosadno da san slušala i ne radila ništa, a ne da san radila još dosadniji labos. Greenwill mi je najbolja. Nikad čula za Lucindu, al bolje nego većina ostalih country koje san slušala do sad

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Mon Feb 07 2022

4

Great surprise. I really liked it. The melodies are great. More a rock and pop album than a country album.

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Fri Feb 18 2022

4

A few years ago I was listening to spotify similar to playlists and songs from this album were on that list. Prior to this I was never really into any form of country music, but I enjoyed the songs and decided to listen to this album in full. It completely worked for me and introduce me to the genre. Lucinda Williams has led me to other country acts and it's a genre that has some really great music if you avoid the mediocre radio pushed country. 4.5/5

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Fri Mar 11 2022

4

Love the album cover for some reason... And hey, it's pretty good roots, blues, souly country AND western. Generous 4/5

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Wed May 18 2022

4

surprisingly good. Also, she must be friends with Sheryl Crow

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Wed May 18 2022

4

reminds of my sheryl crow

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Wed May 18 2022

4

Very sheryl-crowly...

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Mon May 23 2022

4

As a country album, it's an equivalent of a white bread. And... I liked it. Being a perfectionist, Williams reportedly released this album six yees after her previous one. While conflicts does contribute to this delay, I can still observe the sanitized feel of the album. I love her voice. It's soothing and when used well, it carries emotion like it's a wave. But even that is generic. Not even the admittedly nice interaction with the male backing vocals made it a unique voice. The instrumentals are pretty good. Everything is in the right place, but ultimately, it becomes a bit predictable, and therefore uninteresting. The production is neat, but again, generic. The critics were praising her songwriting skills. Judging by the tracks' titles, it might be interesting but I don't want to explore it further. Again, this is like white bread. That mass produced, generic commodity that one can find in the local store. Her perfectionism might have made her album overtidy and uninteresting, but I've got to admit that she still did a great job crafting its overall sound. I unashamedly enjoyed this white bread, and I don't mind consuming it again... after a while.

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Wed Jun 01 2022

4

I love Folk Rock so Americana and some Alt Country is fully in my lane. And knowing that she toured with Jason Isbell just makes me like her and this album more. "Right In Time" and the titular track were two of my favorites. I certainly attach more to the Americana aspects, but it is good Country music too. A very re-listenable album for sure!

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Wed Jun 22 2022

4

A favorite

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Wed Jun 22 2022

4

Another classic!

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Wed Jun 22 2022

4

4 of 5. Great voice

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Wed Jul 06 2022

4

I haven't listened to Lucinda Williams that I recall. But I have heard the songs she has written. She has an authentic feel that is appealing. I feel like I just walked into a dive bar where someone better than the joint is performing. Not my favorite country album, but still pretty darn good.

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Wed Jul 06 2022

4

Good solid bluesy country folk, reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Alison Krauss. Very nice.

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Wed Jul 06 2022

4

This was a new name for me, but I know I have heard Lucinda Williams' music before, playing on our public radio station's morning show. This album definitely painted lovely pictures of the South, and I enjoyed the ride. The title itself evokes such memories and stirs up emotions as it repeats through the title song.

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Wed Jul 20 2022

4

Envie de hit the road

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Wed Jul 20 2022

4

Loving this. Been on a mission to seek out more female rock/country artists, and Lucinda just shot to the top of my list. After a quick Google seems like she's doing some shows with Waxahatchee, which makes perfect sense to be now. Incredible voice, great musicality, perfect for listing to on these hot summer evenings. I'm not a massive country fan, but there's more than enough bluesy toe-tapping, head-nodding, guitar-sliding goodness here to get me on board

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Sat Aug 20 2022

4

Earthy, languid, bittersweet and sexy. Effortless, bluesy sound that probably launched a hundred alt-country bands, all inferior. This is such a perfect listen for a late summer afternoon. Fave Songs: I Lost It, Metal Firecracker, Right in Time, Can't Let Go, Drunken Angel, Still I Long for Your Kiss, Joy

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Mon Sep 19 2022

4

A great combo of traditional country with all it's southern rural hurtin' themes and a modern, rocky, but not overproduced sound. Her voice seems weak and flawed at times but that adds to her vulnerability. I especially like it on Drunken Angel and believe that there may be a few alt country singers influenced by that sound, based on what Spotify sends me. One more listen might get a 5 from me.

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Mon Sep 19 2022

4

Soothing music, great for calm late nights

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Sun Oct 02 2022

4

Perfect Sunday soundtrack that just rolls through the heart. Even though I now barely drink and haven't touch a cigarette in over a decade, for me this album envokes the sweet haze of a mild hangover, more sleep deprived than feeling ill, your body infused with the scent of stale cigarettes as you chainsmoke lying in the afternoon sun

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Fri Oct 28 2022

4

I really like Folk music and Americana so this album is right up my alley. Great songwriting and imagery of life in America.

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Mon Nov 21 2022

4

I liked it, solid background. Nothing stood out but it was a good listen overall.

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Thu Nov 24 2022

4

Finally, some Country I enjoy. Great stuff!

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Thu Dec 01 2022

4

Didn't think I was all that keen on country, but this album was pretty rocking. Full of feeling but with enough power to feel a bit feisty. Lovely stuff

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Thu Jan 12 2023

4

Objectively, this is a really good album. She influenced and outlasted artists like Sheryl Crow and KT Tunstall. Good voice, great story-telling. Good shit.

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Sun Jan 22 2023

4

Felt abit of blues, country and some folk. Overall good variety solid album.

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Wed Jan 25 2023

4

Hadn't heard of her but quite enjoyed listening to this

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Wed Feb 01 2023

4

Nice mellow country album with just the right amount of grit.

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Wed Mar 01 2023

4

Pretty freakin cool we got to see her perform at Red Rocks #humblebrag

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Wed Mar 01 2023

4

Good run of albums here

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