Record Reviews

Lucinda Williams

Essence (Lost Highway)

What makes an album great? If upon first listen it transcends comparison with the previous beloved effort, that's a start. Three years after the divinely inspired Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Lucinda Williams has bought herself another round of critical praise, gushy reviews, and undoubtedly another Grammy. The 11 autobiographical tracks of Essence follow a path not far from where Car Wheels traveled, but steer the album in a more self-confident and aggressive direction. The melancholy groove of "Lonely Girls" sets the tone for the introspection and naked heart of Essence that's a far cry from Car Wheels' angst and memorial, though "Bus to Baton Rouge" recalls it. Jim Lauderdale's honeyed vocals sweeten Williams' sultry assertion on "Steal Your Love" that "I don't need a knife, I don't need a gun, I know how to steal your love." "I Envy the Wind" and "Blue" lull with wistful poetry, while the next cut is one of Williams' finest to date (and likely the LP's second single). "Out of Touch" is rumored to be about her broken friendship with longtime musical soulmate Gurf Morlix ("Reason to Cry" could be too) -- or is it an anthem for ex-lovers meeting and finding a faint spark but no flame? Either way, "Out of Touch" is when the album catches fire. By the time her radio hit and title track "Essence" is doing a sensual slow burn in your soul, Lucinda Williams has you by the heart again. We are happy to be shackled there, praising the thumping, scrubby rhythm of "Get Right With God," ruing life with "Reason to Cry," catching the jazzy groove of "Are You Down?" and embracing the ethereal "Broken Butterflies," the album's original title. Bo Ramsey and Charlie Sexton assisted Williams in the album's production with sterling results for this, the debut of her Lost Highway label. Essence curls and lingers like a deep exhale of smoke, so satisfying you'll never miss "Passionate Kisses" in her live sets.