Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Enjoyed this one. She’s pretty good! Easily digestible

She's quite good, even if the album title, track titles, and lyrics are very stereotypical country.

NO WHAT A TERRIBLE BORE

This was actually really good. The songs were interesting and I liked the vocals. 3.5 but let’s go 4.

Americana

less loose and liquid and mystical than a lot of the country ive been hearing recently, the greatest strength of this record rly is just its capacity to hit u between the eyes. every song feels like a scenic path to a lovely, powerful chorus....and theres not too much to say ab it other than the buildup and payoff just Works 13 times in a row. some nice homey rock guitars hit just hard enough to draw attention, not enough to overwhelm. an effortless listen in a way that can only be created by mountains of effort

Even if Lucinda Williams looks eerily like my mother (which is awful), my mom would never make an album as good as this.

Car Wheels On A Gravel Road was honestly a super nice surprise. This album having Texas blues in the styles section of this site is honestly so fitting because this is one of the most Texas albums i have ever heard which makes it odd that it wasn't actually recorded in Texas. The main thing i really liked about this album was how chill it was, it's honestly one really nice album to unwind and relax to after working an 8 and a half hour long shift at work which is what i did. Williams' vocals were really good here too with them just having that right amount of rasp to make it enjoyable. Not the best album but if you want to listen to some nice Texas sounding country music, there are worse ways to do it. Best Song: Car Wheels On A Gravel Road Worst Song: Drunken Angel

tentei ouvir, chato tipo os youngbloods e o ryan adams lá essa lista enfia álbum pouco reconhecido por ser ruim e antigo pra ter cult status 2/10 pela ordinariedade

Pretty good songwriting and great production on this album. It's not my favourite type of music, but I appreciate Williams' drunk/stoned country-ish voice. Her approach is certainly original and worthy of inclusion on the 1001 list.

Just average. Nice voice, but didn’t really do anything for me. Songs were just sort of there. Nothing stood out.

I'd not heard of Lucinda Williams before, but I could tell this was going to be a country music album from the song titles. Shania Twain and LeAnn Rimes were both breaking through in the UK around this time by giving their music a more 'poppy' feel, but Lucinda has stayed true to her country blues roots and I'd rather listen to this than anything by the previously mentioned people to be honest. The album starts well with Right In Time, my favourite ttrack is Can't Let Go and, although a number of the tracks don't hold my attention, the only song that irritates me is Joy. Her voice is another slight bone of contention. It's like, you know she can sing, but sometimes she tries not too and I'm not even sure if that's off-putting or intriguing! A low 3 stars.

Is this what people had to listen to before Taylor Swift?

Een fijn nummer voor de rest was het meh

generic

I liked her voice and her vibe. A bit melancholy, but not depressing.

*1998. *I've never listened to Lucinda Williams, but she was a surprise hit for me. I'm not a country girl, but this felt bluegrass enough that I was here for it. *Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (the song) is a total earworm and kind of a banger. I've been randomly humming it for weeks since I first heard it here. *Lucinda has a cool voice - gravely but clear. I hope she transitions to rock one of these days. RATING - 7.5/10

Not fast enough for line dancing aka the only way I’ll tolerate country music

I just didn't find it that interesting. It didn't stand out that much. "Ranked No. 98 on the 2020 revision of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Really?? I don't get it

You know... I didn't think I would grow to like this as much as I have. There's a radio station that plays a track or two from this album at least once per week. And I would have thought that familiarity would cause me to dislike it, but after a full listen, I think I like it even more. I'd probably veer toward a 3.5, but I'll go ahead and assign a 4. I'll listen again.

She gives me female John Prine vibes, really good singer songwriter, I go 4.5 in this one

More like this!!

Solid. I listened 3 times and I will keep listening

Very 90s. Enjoyed the nostalgia trip

An album that just screams 90s

country roooooaaads take me hoooooome

Mother 🧎🏼‍♀️

I am so happy that I was able to listen to this album before I die. I've been searching my entire life for an album that consist of 13 identical songs that have no pulse and the singer just repeats the title of the song ad nauseam. Every song here is like 3:30 to 4:00, but they all feel like 8 to 10 minutes long. I guess I am being a little harsh, Can't Let Go and Joy have a little bit of energy and soul behind them, but besides that this album is an incredibly boring slog to sit through. mid 2.

Nope, not doing this.

Not my type of country

It just blends in with the wall

I don’t always get the chance to spend a lot of time with these albums, but I listened to this one all day. It’s an excellent album - not a bad track on. Thank God for Lucinda Williams.

nice

There’s a lot to not like here.

Great variety

A pleasant surprise. I spent two days listening to this album and although I don't like everything on it, I think there's a chance it's one of my favorite 80s/90s country albums (not a tough competition). Highlights: "Right in Time" and "Lake Charles."

In an alternate universe, Lucinda Williams and NOT Cheryl Crow is well known. Her songs are featured on top 40 radio, and the world is never subjected to an awful Kid Rock duet. Lucinda has a hit song from a kids movie about cars, and everyone knows "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road" instead of "If It Makes You Happy." It's a happier universe with better music.

Never really listened to this genre of country or folk, but this album was pretty good. Jackson was beautiful, definitely my favorite. I'm feeling a 6.8/10.

Right in Time - 5/10. Not bad. Not particularly memorable, though. Not a big fan of the vocal style. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - 6/10. Decent. 2 Cool 2 Be 4-gotten - 5/10. Not bad, but not great either. Drunken Angel - 6/10. Solid. Concrete and Barbed Wire - 5/10. Not bad. Lake Charles - 6/10. Good use of Cajun themes in the instrumentation and structure. Can't Let it Go - 5/10. Not bad. I Lost It - 5/10. Not bad. Still I Long for Your Kiss - 5/10. Decent. Metal Firecracker - 5/10. OK. Greenville - 5/10. OK. Joy - 6/10. Bluesy and fun. Jackson - 7/10. Very pretty. Overall Rating - 2.73/5 (5.46/10). Not my style on the vocals. Decent folk-country, though.

Didn’t do anything for me. A bit too mainstream and bland

Jeg kunne SAGTENS være kommet gennem livet og aldrig høre det her album

Lidt anonymt -- ikke den slags country som *virkelig* virker for mig, men heller ikke den slags der virkelig *ikke* virker for mig

Well that sounded like car wheels on a gravel road...

iets beter dan de gemiddelde country plaat... maar zoals alle country: goed voor één liedje, niet voor een hele plaat... daarvoor zijn alle nummers te inwisselbaar

A few songs get their claws in me. “Car Wheels” and “2 Good…”, “Drunken Angel” (hmm, kinda frontloaded I see). Williams’ voice is distinct, evocative, sometimes a little played-up into irritating. Sonically it’s very country-verging-into-Americana, and sounds ragged but clean. A good record, not a knockout.

This was a really nice album. I really like her voice.

It’s good but there’s something in the pitch that hurts the ear

Good lyrics. Heavy on the twang. Can hear Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow.

Would've liked this a lot more if it were 40 minutes long or so

I think I have this on vinyal, might have to go pop it on, this was a solid americana album.

Enjoyed the first few tracks - and I thought maybe this will be a unknown gem for me as I am partial to a little bit of soft country rock. Unfortunately the quality begins to diminish and they all begin to merge into one big country twang. It reminded me a little of Cardigans country album - long gone before midnight - which I love and have listened to hundred of times. I'm sure if I listened to this enough it would grow alot more on me but sadly only managed a couple of listens due to its length. A high 3.

Concrete and barbed wire. The album is as exciting as that. Monotonous droning with little redeeming features. Can't Let Go the only song with any excitement, and that blends in to generic country-blues-pop.

Another day, another Country album that I expected not to like, and was mostly correct. It was bearable, it’s at least a 3, but I’m not the biggest fan of this type of accent, and in some songs it’s insufferable. However, this album has 2 shining moments that are actually quite good. Those being “Can’t Let Go” and “Joy”. They rocked surprisingly hard. So, for how much I’m not a fan of the accent, the album really isn’t that bad as a whole. Sometimes it’s actually pretty good, especially the instrumentation. It’s Country, so there’s not a lot I can even really say about it. Over 30 Country albums on here, only 4 of them have a decent rating, and this one doesn’t even make the top 30 according to the ratings. Pretty rough when not even the general reviews don’t love it. A lot of them said this was boring, which is the one thing I don’t necessarily agree with. It had enough going for it where I was never actively in misery. Didn’t manage to listen to it for the entire day, but I also didn’t hate it, and I actually ended up adding “Joy” to my frequent rotation. So, 2 great songs, a few ok and a lot of skippable filler. As far as Country goes, this wasn’t terrible. Will I be returning to it? God no. Give it a 3.25/5 and move on to the next one. Oddly enough though, I think I might remember this one after the fact. So it’s got that going for it at least.

Lovely.

So so Americana. Sounds like a drunk Sheryl Crow. Not for me. The cover of Can't Let Go by Robert Plant and Alicia Kraus is good though.

Kudos for incorporating 90s rock feel, but I didn’t love it

random singer songwriter album. idk. 2.5.

One of my favorite albums ever from one of my favorite voices ever. Just incredible in every way. I’ve listened it to it so many times. For the purposes of this project, today I chose to listen to the alternative/original Gurf Morlix mix. Lucinda rejected the recording/mix in favor of the rougher, slightly grungier version that became the final album after essentially replacing Morlix with Steve Earle, but this initial version is worth checking out if you’re curious to hear these songs presented in a cleaner, more straight-forward presentation, especially in the context of how they then evolved into the masterpiece that it became.

Dollar Tree Sheryl Crow.

its country and western. nice enough

I really dig her distinct singing voice! I feel like she should have a few more albums on this list but looks like the list is playing popularity favorites again. The sound of the music here is solid. It’s a nice sounding take on the country roots style. Definitely way better than that pop-country crap that is unfathomably popular. I haven’t heard this in a while but on this listen I do hear the Bob Dylan influence clearly now. The recording is maybe a little too clean but I’m probably conditioned now from hearing so many great sounding albums from the ‘70s on this list. She’s had an amazingly great output of material post-stroke so I’m pretty sure there’s a few more albums that should be on this list along with this one.

This was a good, soothing listen. She has a Sheryl Crow vibe. I liked it.

Sehr schwer ob 3 oder 4 aber geb dem noch 7/10 Lake Charles, Greenville Andere sind weniger meins auch

Meh

Love this album !!! Raw and toe-tapping music! How can you not want to sing along with every song?

I've listened to this multiple times over the years but I still don't quite understand the reputation this one has. It's a strong album and has multiple great songs but unfortunately at times it sounds like you could have heard it on the most mainstream radio station possible.

'The way you move, it's right in time / It's right in time w/ me'. To take this record into your heart, where it belongs, & resolve its genius, go ahead & return to PJ Harvey's Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea & you'll get a sense of what Williams is up to. Lucinda & Harvey are our masters of airtight clarity as well as the tangibles of a floating ether: listening to either genius effects the sense that everything, I mean everything, can be known & cared for, that in the final analysis, we can never be too transcendent to be realistic. Of course, Lucinda is a southern realist while PJ's a Brit seer, & Williams has the advantage of a strong country tradition, but I think you catch my drift. I yield to both to feel that I'm not just of this world but in it.

Country ahhh Helt miderino

Another that gets better the more you hear it. Solid alt country with subtle detail and a unique voice.

якесь заніжне

I wasn't digging this at first, not the kind of music I seek out or particularly enjoy. However, the longer the album went on, the more I found myself enjoying it. "Joy" is the best song on the album.

This was versatile enough that each song felt fresh, but still had a thread running through that connected the entire album. It was raw, authentic, and quite an enjoyable first listen.

The better songs sounded like Sheryl Crow.

6.0/10 I enjoyed a few songs

This is a very well made record with a bunch of good songs that just aren't my personal taste.

I'm convinced only people born in the United States can enjoy this kind of music. The rest of us just nod and smile and wait until it's over so we can listen to literally anything else.

Mildly inoffensive, largely forgettable, one decent tune. Onto the next.

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Can't Let Go is such a banger.

Meh

It's OK, but quite generic. 2.5

I was not familiar with Lucinda Williams and, like other reviewers, I was amazed to learn how critically acclaimed this album was. What on earth was going on in 1998? The music is perfectly pleasant but completely unremarkable.

Tried to like it but ... no. Better singing would have helped a good bit. Some variation would have helped another bit. At times I was reminded of Sheryl Crow's first two albums. But those are superior in every way: songwriting, singing, production ... I read it is praised for the lyrics. What? As in "sing" the title at the end of every verse, then repeat it a couple of times as a chorus? Every song, it seems! Not for me. Gave up after five tracks.

A perfect record. No notes. Evocative and powerful. Relaxed and confident. It does not show the incredible strife and hard work that went into it.

Easy listening

Not a fan.

It's like 90s indie grunge but if it were country

3.5 if i could

What a lovely album. I really enjoyed this vibe. It definitely had a 90's feel to it, but as a child of the 90's that was not unwelcome.

nice, not my style

I like the vibe of the songs but I don’t really like the way she sings. That might just be because I don’t really like country music so i’m still giving it a 3.

Not very fair for the site to generate this the day after blonde on blonde. Reading that this album took 6 years in the studio is mad but makes sense. The whole thing seems overly polished and a little cold.

I’ve listened to so much MJ Lenderman, Waxahatchee and Wednesday in the last year… feel like this influenced them all. Enjoyed it.

lovely album

Not bad at all. Pleasant atmosphere and some pretty fun choruses. There’s not a lot of variety; this album starts to drag a little towards the end. It’s not laid back to the point of being boring but also not terribly entertaining. Decent but nothing soecial.

everything I hate about pop country, right down to the exaggerated accent

like good. its just not my type of folk/singer-songwriter. wasn't too catchy in my eyes and could be more blunt w some songwriting

This is my first real surprise with 60 albums reviewed in regards to being unexpectedly blown away. Phenomenal album in a genre of music that I usually don't choose to listen to.

I very much don't care about this type of country music. She's a good singer, but the songs are boring, but they are played ok. It gets a little less boring when it pretends to be pop, but all in all, a very meh experience. 2.5/5

Chill

Album 1059 of 1089 Car Wheels On A Gravel Road - Lucinda Williams (1998) Rating : 3.5 / 5 This one settles into that country-folk lane with just enough rock edge to keep it interesting. At moments, I even caught myself thinking about what Liz Phair might sound like leaning more into country as there’s that same plainspoken, grounded feel in the delivery. The songwriting is definitely there. These are well-crafted songs with personality and purpose. The production is strong - clean without being overpolished - and the background vocals and musicianship show real experience behind the scenes. You can hear seasoned players throughout, which adds depth without overpowering the material. Vocally, she may not blow the doors off the place, but these are her songs, and she delivers them with authenticity. Sometimes that matters more than range or power. Overall, a decent album and an enjoyable listen. Not one that floored me, but certainly one that deserves another spin down the road.

Did not get why this is here, incredibly generic country, some ok bluegrass twang to a couple of the tracks but overall very bland

Very Sheryl

bruh tf are they even talkin about

I am always happy when a Lucinda Williams song comes up in my mix. Listening to a whole album they all felt like they were of similar tone and delivery. There was a distinct lack of variety.

Not bad, but doesn't really stand out from the general sound of 90s pop country

Si es un poco genérico. Me gusta el twang. Drunken angel no me molesta. Que tiene de malo lo sencillo y poco pretencioso? A veces es necesario.

Nice

I mean… sure. It’s better than some of these other late 90s/early 00s albums.

Just some stereotypical rock-infused country. I've heard better albums by Lucinda Williams. At some points on here. Her voice reminded me of a cartoon character, but I forget which character it was and I don't want to listen to this album again to make myself remember.

One of the best country albums of all time, one of the best singer songwriter albums of all time, one of the best female albums of all time, can't say enough about how great this is.

Not for me. Sappy country sounding god music has its place I suppose.

Really loved this actually, one of the best new discoveries of the list. Her voice is so warm and rich, enhancing the fantastic storytelling. Suffers slightly from every-song-sounds-the-same syndrome, but that doesn't really take away from it - it's like being told the same story books when you're a kid, as long as they're told with heart and warmth, it doesn't really matter

pretty but boring

Fine, just fine.

lots of imagery around competing textures: barbwire concrete, metal firecracker, rubber on gravel

Sounds like Judy Gemstone

I bloody loved this album, I’d heard of Lucinda but not played anything by her - Amazing!

Really boring and generic

Gostei da capa e do título, me lembra uma aventura em Rancho Queimado. Já gostei da intro com violãozinho. Bem aconchegante, a voz dela enjoa um pouco as vezes, mas é divertidinho do início ao fim. Darei 3*.

I really liked this album. It hits themes like love and loss and nostalgia and longing beautifully. Williams sings her stories in a way that is both intensely personal but also relatable and inviting.

As a restaurant backgroud music, why not. For my taste, yep no.

Immediately sounded exactly how I thought it would based on the album cover. Generic country. For some reason the vocals change completely in "Concrete And Barbed Wire"? She gains a much stronger accent and starts doing little vocal frills on the high notes. Overall the vocals are decent, Lucinda has a good enough voice, but this music is just so generic. There's some electric guitar, but every song on this album just sounds the same, and sounds like every other modern country song ever. Find the drawl a bit irritating. The lyrics are dull and repetitive. The music is dull and repetitive. Lucinda's voice is fine. I want to go have a nap now, having listened to the same boring country track 13 times.

cute! but pretty run of the mill vocals and lyrics for the most part highlights: Drunken Angel Lake Charles Still I Long For Your Kiss

Better than I expected. Some songs had super vibey instrumentation and I didn't mind her voice. Most songs were fairly standard country music and it was a very long album so I eventually got bored It had a harmonica in it so it's a low 3 rather than a mid 3

A foot on the farm

This was fab. Never heard it before and will definitely be revisiting. Narly woman's 90's low key country of the best kind.

So she kind of sings in cursive and honestly that’s the biggest takeaway I got from this album. I’m not feeling it, she’s not my type of country singer, like she’s kind of like the female Blake Shelton or something, it’s all fine but it just feels like she’s reading from a page rather than singing something she resonates with, it just doesn’t feel deep at all. Lowkey she sound like what I’d imagine Chloe (Susan’s sister) in ER would sound like if she was a singer. 55/100

Ajjj, trochę to było zbyt naiwne i prostolinijne jak dla mnie. Takie trochę autorskie, ambitne country, które nie potrafi trafić do celu. Ale za to wokal przyjemny. 6/10

This is a solid album.

Great vibe and consistently very good.

I think “Cant let go” kinda saves this album from falling into “I guess it’s ok, next please” category, but i feel like this list had more interesting albums in similar kinda “genre” (Bonnie Rait - Nick of time for example)

🚗

Good

Good find, I thought this album was really good... And I noticed that many people refer to it as country! So, yes, surprisingly (if this fits into the country genre!), I'm enjoying some country songs, who would have thought? :-D

Nothing special imo. 2.5 stars

Lucinda's gravelly voice has an unmistakable appeal, and the sweet rhythm-and-blues of these songs is great. This wouldn't be my pick for her best album, though. I'd probably go with World Without Tears. Lucinda's stream-of-consciousness lyrics can have a rugged sense of presence most of the time, but many of the songs on here are, to my mind, just plain bad from a writing standpoint.

Something transcendent about this but I can't put my finger on it

Americana, alternative country, country rock.

Haven't heard of her before. Well it seems for this album she took vibes and ideas from all the popular solo female rock artists of the 90s and turned them into a nothingburger country-ish album. I'd rather be listening to Bitch by Meredith Brooks 2/5

2 Kool to be 4-gotten is a good song with a terrible title.

Yeee-Naw

Not for me. Skipped through wasn't a fan

Head of this album, but have not heard it. I like it, reminds me of WIlco, Steve Earle. Lyrics seem interesting. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Some maybe Owned: No 47/190 (24%) Will I get: Maybe

An interesting take on a modern country album. Its a fairly pleasant to listen, I enjoyed her voice. The lyrics aren't remarkable but the theme of longing and loneliness is very clear. However I just found it thoroughly boring.

Overall, I found it a bit boring and quite generic and the vocals just weren’t for me (I hated them), the lyrics were okay in the first half of the album but in the latter half (I’m not sure if I was just incredibly bored by then) it was like listening to the most inclusive/non-specific, inauthentic TS album. Maybe it was really revolutionary for its time and I’m missing something but it just wasn’t for me. Also this is silly but I hate the use of numbers in lieu of words so the title of “2 Kool 2 be 4-Gotten” irritates me, I don’t care if it’s irony.

My Rating 3.8. Great Album

Chill, and nostalgic. I may like it if I heard it ten years earlier. It’s a kind of albums you can’t even recall three days later.

ME RE GUSTÓ, me sorprendió porque no conozco a la artista. me dio vibes a fiona apple y medio country de a ratos. muy tranqui, pero es tranqui que me gusta jajaj varios temas destacaron para mí, cosa que no es poco. Arte arte arte🩷

What a snooze fest. This is the type of music that gives me nothing.

Americana, folk, rock, and country all put in a blender and the results poured out over a book of poetry.

Quite enjoyed this

I tried, I really did but I’m sorry, I just find country music (especially this type) just very uninteresting and boring.

Rivalling Kacey Musgraves for blandness! First song and her voice offer some promise, but it quickly declines into a dreary dull fest with a handful of awful songs. The style is country music without the edge!

4 albums short of the big 500, and I think your brain starts doing funny things. Or maybe it’s simply that anything slightly different to standard variants of man rock sounds more appealing all the time. Either way, I thought I would hate this, but it was a nice pleasant interlude to the usual, and while it feels fairly standard alt country, there were enough twists with blues and bluegrass to keep it musically interesting, and there were some decent songs there.

4.5⭐️/5 01.26.2026

boring

This was great. Like a slightly more country Sheryl Crow. Very enjoyable.

Instrumentally it’s not the worst but the lyrics and her voice are straight up not it. I didn’t enjoy it on my listen and played snippets of songs for my poor wife and I saw her soul leaving her body.

Not great at all, but I did enjoy a few songs quite a bit. But others were terrible. Bumping up my score a bit to show my appreciation for the few songs I did think were quite solid.

I enjoyed this. Nice, enjoyable easy listening. I'd never heard of her before and this was a nice surprise

Very nice album

Coming from an era where country was veering sharply into the pop domain, Lucinda Williams gives an unvarnished view of the South and her experiences therein. Helped by the goat Steve Earle, this is a stripped down experience where Williams’ voice is allowed to shine. There’s better country around and on this list, but pretty solid.

Sleepy time music

pass

Unoriginal country. The lyrics are alright.

Lacks energy. Forgettable. I should like this more, but I genuinely don't think it's that good.

2/5

these are actually great songs but I do not like the mix or her voice so I won’t be listening to them

Love Lucinda!

This is what Nashville chick song writing sounds like. Doesn't make you feel anything.

Well recorded

Sympa

Bof un peu trop toujours la même chose …

Una prueba más de que el country es lo mejor que me va a dejar hacer este reto. Un álbum y una artista a la que Kacey Musgraves, quien me parece genial, le debe absolutamente todo. Se nota que Musgraves creció amando la música de Williams. Letras geniales, super llegadoras y un ambiente country que me hacen querer dejar todo e irme al campo a poner un rancho.

Lucinda Williams has a lovely voice that works well for country music. She has more of an old country style that wasn’t common in 1998. However, I just wasn’t into it. Yes, the album flowed and I enjoy country, especially the old stuff, but I wasn’t feeling it. Not awful, but enough that I don’t know why this is here.

Lucinda Williams is one of those artists who isn't super popular among listeners, but is known and appreciated among other country and folk artists. This album provides a nice window into her capabilities. While I was not blown away, I found her voice appealing and the music to be enjoyable. I don't know what exactly makes this album a "must listen" and a fit for this project, though.

A great road album.

This music is in my blood. People have survived more. Brick by brick, headlights. FIVE!

pior que tá dentro da vibe que eu to curtindo ultimamente tá

CAPAS QUE PODERIAM SER DE ÁLBUM DE EMO!!! bom, me surpreendeu demais. achei que seria aqueles country chato paia que sempre tem aqui, mas esse tem umas guitarrada boa, umas estrutura menos convencional. eu gostei bastante, até. btw dá pra ouvir wednesday/mj lendermann d+ nisso aqui, pqp.

It’s aight

If the Gin Blossoms had a female lead singer

This album is often held up as a landmark of Americana, but to my ears it leans more toward polished country pop than raw, rootsy storytelling. The songwriting is solid and Williams’ voice has character, yet the production smooths things out in a way that blurs some of the emotional grit the songs seem to aim for. It’s easy to appreciate and well-crafted, but it doesn’t quite deliver the rough-edged authenticity I expect from Americana.

i feel like i get the album identical to this for the 7th time already

Not great. Kinda sounds like Sheryl Crow if she was more country and also wasn’t a good musician.

Whenever I listen to this album, part of me feels a little self-conscious that some of the tracks are a little too conventional in structure or too poppy -- some of the choruses are just repeating the titles, right? Maybe I love this album because I discovered it at the right time in college when my mind was particularly open to it rather than for its intrinsic virtues? But then her voice grabs me, and the storytelling opens me up, and the band demonstrates its versatility and keen sense of when to go big and when less is more. And for my money there's not a truly weak song on here; it's a remarkably consistent and rich album. These songs all feel very personal, yet they also evoke and critique an American myth of the purity and simplicity of Southern life that resonates with the myth if small town life I grew up with. At the end of the day, I find this album unimpeachable, and I'm glad to have an excuse to hand out another 5.

I liked this a great deal more than I expected to, especially the second half.

Not for me. 1/5

Right in Time 3.2 Car Wheels on a Gravel Road 3.4 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten 3.3 Drunken Angel 3.5 Concrete and Barbed Wire 3.1 Lake Charles 3.4 Can't Let Go 3.2 I Lost It 3.3 Metal Firecracker 3.3 Greenville 3 Still I Long for Your Kiss 3.2 Joy 3.6 Jackson 3 Score: 3.269230769

This was just dull. I don't expect interesting musicianship on a country record but I do expect decent vocals and I just didn't find them here.

Overall rating by me: 6/10 Songs added to the playlist: ,,Right In Time” Notes: Very toned-down and melancholic - even the songs that are more rhythmic in this album are on the slower side. Soft vocals and country sound really put this all together.

i am not from the US i dont care much for country tbh

Review - The songwriting is objectively pretty good but it's slicker than I like Americana and poppier than I like country. Rating - 3.5/10 Need to hear? NO

It just sort of bobs along like a country album does, not entirely shit but not terribly engaging. I guess to some this is a great album but to me, about 12 hours after listening to it, there’s nothing memorable about it.

Very uninspired and pretty grating to be honest. Pseudo country to fall asleep to.

This was hard at first, I laughed at the terrible 90s vibe of the spelling of 2 kool 2 b 4 gotten. But by the end I really liked it. Turns out Lucinda Williams is the godmother of modern Americana which I’m a fan of so I’ll give this another go to see where it takes me. I hope there’s more from her on the list.

country albums are not always my thing, i like more modern country more but probably good for its time

Pleasant listen. Not my favorite genre but some good tracks. Nice country-folk vibes and Lucinda has a great voice for this genre.

Not my style of country/folk but the execution is good. The highs aren't high enough to make it a great album.

I have heard other artists I like talk about how much they love this album. I've never sat down and listened to it, though. Given that I knew other artists loved it, I had high expectations. But I don't think it quite met those expectations. It's not bad, but also not quite grabbing me. Good, not great.

I don't think I'd ever heard of Lucinda before, but this was solid stuff. 3.9

Did not finish.

Peter and Quagmires last country album when noone would listen anymore.

A somewhat average singer-songwriter folk album, with a generous dash of country mixed in. Now, of course, that's a property that sets it apart from the rest of somewhat average singer-songwriter folk albums, but it's still country, so in the end I'd say does more harm than good. 2.5/5

This was really boring

*The title track is a great song, but that's definitely the highlight of the album.

It’s sad that they couldn’t tune to pitch perfect. Good relaxing soothing country(?) music. If it can be redone with a better production and arrangement, it’d be much better. Her voice was barely produced. She can sing but some tracks are not showing her best voice range. Drunken Angel was quite bad. In one track she sounded like she was having a baby potato in her mouth - concrete and barbed wire. And she also uses deep and slow vibratos too often, which was fine in the 90s but not preferred now. It could be a 4 star album but landed at 2 star standard.

I liked this. It was a nice bluegrass/country album. Don’t think I’ll really ever go much higher than a three for an album like this, but it was fine.

Listened to it on Friday and forgot to write my review. I remember I enjoyed it more than I anticipated, but that’s about it.

Another solid album by an artist I've never heard of. Kind of wild though that this is in Rolling Stones top 100 albums of all times. That seems a little excessive.

Quite mellow but nice background music nevertheless.

Nice

I don't care for country music. This is fine, but I can't get through it.

The album where I and a lot of people fell in love with Lucinda Williams. The production is a little dated but the songs hit like a target shooter. Plus if you have feelings for Louisiana, specifically if you are the rare bird with warm feelings for Baton Rouge, it is particularly poignant.

Lucinda Williams is a national treasure, a songwriter storyteller with a poet’s eye for detail and that uniquely woozy, world-wary vocal delivery. Her music evokes barrooms with jukeboxes, neon beer signs and unvarnished, dusty wood floors worn down from people dancing in cowboy boots. She is one of the leading lights saving country music from its own worst Nashville impulses, and although I wish the production was a little less polished, it doesn’t detract from the quality of songs like “Drunken Angel” or “Metal Firecracker.”

There's a Sheryl Crow-like inflection in her voice that I just don't get.

Not usually my genre, but I liked this okay. Halfway thru it felt like a geography lesson, though.

Very Cheryl crow

Liked it more than I thought I would

Drunken Angel and Can't Let Go the highlights. Good album, gritty.

I liked the raspy country music today

An alt-country classic that really laid the groundwork for the sub-genre to take flight over the next decade. Gritty and tender at the same time, Car Wheels is just great.

Some songs are catchy, but some songs are downright insufferable. Most feel like they run too long.

Liked two of the songs, probably from hearing them on Radio Paradise, but the rest seemed a little samey.

This is like a really boring version of Sheryl Crowe.....or vice versa. Boring, generic country-pop.

nah

Made me think of a more indie version of Sheryl Crow. High 3

Would like a little more alt and a little less country. I didn’t mind it though

Lucinda Williams is an interesting artist, and I will return to listen to her other bolded albums. A more authentic sounding Sheryl Crow.

There’s some good songwriting on display here, but all together it added up to a dreary mid-tempo listen which never got me out of the slump it put me into. I was very bored of hearing about her ex by the end!

A low to solid 4 for me, and a missing piece of the alt-country puzzle for me!

It was ok

Not seeing the appeal here. Comes across to me as a fairly mediocre country album.

Can't let go is een lekker nummertje, voor de rest wel heel volks. Denk alleen maar aan paarden en schieten.

This was a surprise like. Really enjoyed the Americana country rock vibes.

Never heard of this before but it sounds like Lucinda may have taken some influence from Shania Twain and the poppier edges of country music at the time. Having not heard her previous output it’s hard to know who influenced who but this album feels far from essential.

Album oubliable et neutre de modern country numéro 12389748923

Nice, authentic, uncorny country.

Day 13 It's alright. It's not bad or anything; I quite enjoyed it. I really don't know why it's on the list though as it's just completely okay country. 3/5

A bit repetitive-feeling, but I was drawn by the story of perfectionism and therefore the effort she put in to this album. I like Country music generally, and this was pretty well-done.

Most of this album is absolutely unlistenable. Lyrically repetitive to the point of insanity, unnecessary vocal affectation of country twang, and awful simplistic guitar. But then you get to the final track Jackson, which has a calming Baptist hymnal feel to it which is quite beautiful. Not enough to save this album but still.

Just OK

A towering album. I'd heard various songs before, but never the full thing. The 1001 Albums Generator has my eternal gratitude for introducing me to this album specifically. Incredible, varied, emotional, fun. A true achievement.

Going on decades, aging like a fine bourbon or a majestic bald cypress by the bayou. Every song is a spark for the southern soul. Nothing weak here, full stop. The standout for me; Lake Charles. Did an Angel whisper in your ear? And hold you close, take away your fear? In those long, last moments. Damn… one beautiful tribute! A heavyweight in a class of her own. God Bless Lucinda Williams!

This had a few songs that I did not mind. I like her voice, and the music wasn't too country. Country usually hits a 2 for me. But this had enough to hit a 3.

This is like country Sheryl Crow....or country Aimee Mann? That's not a knock, it feels like a female Dwight Yoakum. Very much like Aimee Mann. This is a good album, not something I'd come back to multiple times, but I wouldn't complain if it was playing. Joy is the low point on the album. Jackson is a good song to close out the album though.

Americana / Alternative Country. Not really my style of music, but I've heard worse. Couldn't make up my mind about the title track - I liked the music, but as on other tracks her voice annoyed me.

I LIKE (SOME) COUNTRY MUSIC! This was the most bland, formulaic, repetitive, pap that helps me understand why people hate it. If you want to hear some good contemporary country music try Laura Cantrell, Eilen Jewell, Jason Hawk Harris, Sarah Shook or Sturgill Stimpson

When I was a college radio DJ, everyone was raving about Lucinda Williams as alt-country emerged. Being a 'punk idiot' at the time, I completely ignored it—what a massive mistake. Her voice is uniquely suited for this genre, and her storytelling simply sucks you in. A track like '2 Kool 2 Be 4-gotten' is so vivid you can practically smell the stale beer and hear the bad bar conversations. Every time I hit play, a whole new story unfolds.

Chill country music Great vocals (raspy american female) Evening music Some really nice sliding guitar in some songs

2.5 - Meh

Album #987 This is country rock, good country rock. She does this thing where she intentionally sings off-key sometimes, but it's more quirky than annoying. I didn't really dislike anything here. Favorite tracks: Title track and Jackson

Reading about this album and the artist I wanted to love it, I went into it with a positive attitude but it was just kind of meh. I didn't think her story telling was all that amazing and I think the music was just fine. Maybe I need to listen again but nothing grabbed me or hit me as anything important.

Lucinda sounds like a Country version of Sheryl Crow, though I’d venture to guess that Sheryl was probably ripping Lucinda off, particularly on her Country-ish tunes. These songs are super catchy. I’m already aware that critics love the hell out of this album as it shows up in best-of-its-year lists. I feel like this will become a beloved album if I give it more time.

I've heard of Lucinda Williams but knew nothing about her music. She reminds me a lot of Sheryl Crow, though she was making music long before Sheryl was. It was pretty and she’s a talented storyteller, but it didn’t really move me in any emotional way. Maybe if I spent more time with it, I’d find more to connect to, but I only had a chance to listen once today, and felt pretty neutral about it after one spin.

Not a fan of this album. As critically acclaimed as it is, the production has a weird dynamic thing going on, the lyrical content and style is kind of annoying, and I just am not a fan of the sound of William's voice I guess. 2/5

Boring Sheryl Crow-core 2/5

Fantastic

Arguably the queen of Alt-Country (it's a toss up between her and Gillian Welch), gritty vocals that can switch to angelic while singing songs about loving, drinking, fighting and other country tropes. Dashes of accordian broaden the sound from what is typically expected. It sounds great though. Best Tracks: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road; Drunken Angel; Can't Let Go

The flow of the title song's chorus grated on my nerves but I liked the rest of the album. It grew on me more and more as it progressed. Williams often sounded a lot like Sheryl Crow. I'd listen to this again.

Not a country fan.

Made me feel things, second half of the album especially. Made me create a new Spotify playlist for albums that made me feel, but can't say I enjoy every song so probably the harshest 3 stars yet

Very very high 3, a beautiful album with some stand out tracks

Never heard of Lucinda Williams before, and enjoyed this enough to have it on a few times.

It's probably in the nature of things that not all songwriters are brilliant singers. In my opinion, however, that's no reason for so many singer-songwriters to ruin their songs with extremely restrained, thin, and whiny vocals—especially when they subsequently show that they're actually quite good singers. As a result, the opening track “Right in Time” starts off rather off-putting for my taste—it sounds a bit like Soul Asylum, but without any edge. Since Lucinda Williams definitely doesn't lack talent, she's probably just striving for a sound ideal that I don't share. “Car Wheels On A Gravel Road” is therefore actually a good album, but one that I don't particularly like.

Perfectly mid.

not 4 me

Nah, not really my jam

This is not really my kind of music, but I can give credit where it is due. The album has a solid vibe, and Lucinda Williams clearly knows what she is doing as a songwriter. It has that dusty, Southern storytelling feel that a lot of people love. What really pulled me in was the slide guitar. Every time it showed up, the songs instantly got more interesting. It added grit, emotion, and honestly carried a few tracks that might have felt flat without it. I am a sucker for good slide work, and this album delivered on that front. Outside of the guitar moments, the album was just alright for me. Not bad, not great, but definitely easy to sit with once it gets rolling.

Sounds like a parody of country…

finally some good fucking food

I hated this. I found nothing to like.

I really liked this album early on, but it was pretty much the exact same throughout. She has a great voice and all of the songs are good, but as a whole album it's not my favorite. I like the collaboration with Emmylou Harris on Greenville. The title track, Car Wheels On A Gravel Road was probably my favorite. Joy was another good song. Good album overall, but not my favorite.

Feels like a blueprint for half of the modern music that I like that.

The difficult gestation of this album is belied by the straightforward clarity of the production and the simplicity of the arrangements. William’s distinctive vocal style gives some character to what would otherwise be a fairly standard 90s alt country album. The themes of heartbreak and going home are familiar enough but she sings them likes she’s been to all the places she name-checks, which she likely has, and there’s a hard edged reality to her portrayal of the rural south.

She sounds like someone. Can't think who. About as entertaining as the title suggests but not unpleasant.

A bit of a mixed bag. It's by no means a bad album, but it certainly does drag. At one point she sounded just as bored as I was. Still, some nice slide guitar and uptempo numbers, and I liked the track with Emmylou's harmony too.

Not terrible but it is middle of the road stuff. Pretty boring stuff. 2/5.

2.1 The first 3 songs or so are not terrible. Then it just turns out to shite country. The vocal style in Concrete.. sounds like nails on a chalk board to me. Country is one of America's worst exports, and they've inflicted some pretty terrible atrocities on the world. Please make it stop. 200 albums to go, surely there can't be many more country ones left.

No thank you. I don’t generally enjoy Country music and this album had zero redeeming features. I suppose it was well recorded. 1/5

Perfect for falling asleep on a plane to. I won't go back to the ones I slept through.

Vivid, patient, and unapologetically Southern. Intimately sung and produced. There’s some Springsteen and Mitchell in here too. Evolves into a breakup album in the heavier, faster-paced second half. Rewards a close listen.

This album really grew on me after a few listens. Favourie tracks, concrete and barbed wire, and 2 kool 2 be 4-gotten

Muy bueno, flojean las canciones más lentas. Country-rock, americana??. Me cae bien Lucinda

lovely

I was ready to discount this one early on, but as it went on I actually enjoyed it more. Nothing earth shattering but kinda nice

Неплохая музыка, слушать можно, но не хочется

Not my jam.

Fin countrymusikk, typisk sånn at jeg sikkert facineres veldig hivs jeg hører tett mange ganger etter hverandre. Men totalt sett ved gjennomhøring er det liksom helt okei, så det blir 2 stjerner

Okay starts off kinda country dull slop. lyrics a bit descriptive. This just sounds a bit try hard. The vocals seem like an affectation. Overall its just dull.

This was really good. Much better than I thought it was going to be based on the title/cover. Really enjoyed it in the end.

A very nice folk album.

Good album overall. Has a very vintage feel despite being relatively recent. I really liked the use of hard panning because it made it easy to single out individual instruments.

Liked it more than I expected to—I've been on the fence on her music for a while but only ever knew a few songs. I would listen again but don't think it would make it into regular rotation.

This is fantastic. I briefly wished I had discovered music like this sooner in my life but then I realized that I wasn't ready for it back then.

Surprising, good combination of modern 90s rock and country. Will listen again could get around 4 stars. 3.5/5

Country flavoured singer/songwriter pop with no outstanding qualities. On a 50 minute album as well. I was extremely borde listening to this. By track 4 I thought I was halfway through. It turned out I wasn’t. Not unpleasant though, so an extra star for that.

6/10 Please to listen to, but didn't rock my world.

If you like this sort of stuff, you will dig this, a lot. Lucinda Williams is a strong singer/songwriter/guitarist. It’s just I find her voice a bit grating, and have a love hate relationship with a lot of country music in general. For me this was a bit of a slog, but it’s probably objectively a better album than I will give it credit for.

Fine, not super special for me