Lucinda Williams has made a career of writing terrific unrequited love songs, shattered ballads, and sexually liberated tomes drenched in blues, country, folk and rock. Since her breakthrough on 1998's Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, she's actually recorded quite regularly; Little Honey is her fourth studio album this decade so far and fifth overall -- in the '90s she released a total of two. Williams throws some more change-ups into the mix this time. For starters, this is the most polished and studied record she's ever made. Produced by Eric Liljestrand and Tom Overby, its sound is utterly contemporary, though its forms are rooted in electric '70s rock as well as her fallbacks on blues and old-school Americana. The set opens with the rollicking "Real Love," with jangling, charging guitars by Doug Pettibone, and Rob Burger on Wurlitzer, and a backing chorus held down by the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet. Its pop/rock bent is tempered by the roiling pace and Williams trademark Louisiana voice. But it's a startling introduction to an album that, while produced with a certain conscious flair, is the most loosely focused of her career in terms of her songwriting.
Williams can still write the beautiful cut-time country tunes, such as the ballad "Circles and X's" and the honky tonk "Jailhouse Tears," a fun throwaway duet with Elvis Costello, and a backing chorus that includes Jim Lauderdale. The blues make their appearance on the beautiful "Tears of Joy" and the appropriately titled "Heaven Blues," a song that references her late mother and redemption, with excellent slide work by Pettibone. Greasy, punched up guitar rock is what fuels the sexually charged "Honey Bee," and a cover of AC/DC's "Long Way to the Top" (though her arrangement on the latter doesn't work). There's also the beautiful, but lyrically indulgent, "Little Rock Star" a warning to the unnamed talents who live in the self-made hell of excess. Williams should know. The album's longest cut is "Rarity," a poignantly gorgeous, heartfelt, cough-syrup tribute to an unnamed but very talented peer. It features Hoffs and Sweet, and a lovely gospel horn arrangement by Bruce Fowler. Its languid, lazy pace is atmospheric and draws itself out over eight minutes making for one of the most memorable moments here. Quoting Williams' lyrics out of context doesn't serve for this record, because they are more directly song lyrics than the poetry she's crafted in song form before. Upon first listen Little Honey is quite jarring for all of its textural and production shifts and dodges, but in time it settles into the listener as a mixed collection of decent songs that pack some punch, but no jaw-dropping wallops. The faithful will no doubt enjoy this set, but the novice should look to earlier albums to discover what all the critical fuss has been about these last 25 years.
It was like a class reunion at the Wiltern last night for the Lucinda Williams show. Musicians - Rich McCulley, Amilia Spicer. Writers - Chris Morris. and writers who play music - Shaun Mason. Lots of enthusiam to see the final show of Luncinda's fall tour in support of the new "Little Honey" record.In prepping for the show I glanced back through some reviews from September and October and the ...
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Little Honey , the fourth in a series of Lost Highway-issued Williams studio albums released this decade, is yet another steady piece of competent Americana from one of this era's most celebrated songwriters. Each album in the series is nearly as noteworthy as her 1998 classic Car Wheel On a Gravel Road , though none hit the long-labored perfection for which that album is celebrated. Little mor...
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I've written before on AWT that I was no fan of Lucinda's previous release West. The whole girl gets done wrong by a loser then gets dark and dreary act was old on on the album. There were few great songs on the album but what worked on World Without Tears slid into a disturbing creepiness on West. I say all of this because Williams is absolutely one of my favorite artists. I am not one of thes...
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Here's a track off the new Lucinda Williams' album, Little Honey. The track is "Jailhouse Tears" and Elvis Costello guests on it.
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Five songs up for listening over at Lost Highway. "Jailhouse Tears" features Elvis Costello. (The man is busy.)
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It was like a class reunion at the Wiltern last night for the Lucinda Williams show. Musicians - Rich McCulley, Amilia Spicer. Writers - Chris Morris. and writers who play music - Shaun Mason. Lots of enthusiam to see the final show of Luncinda's fall tour in support of the new "Little Honey" record.In prepping for the show I glanced back through some reviews from September and October and the ...
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I haven't had a ton of time to listen, let alone purchase and listen to new stuff, but I did pick up Lucinda Williams' Little Honey. This is a very good record infused with lots of heart - ole Lucinda has gone and fell in love. The opening track, Real Love is crunchy stomp that sets the tone and the duet with Elvis is sad, sweet, and hilarious all rolled together.I'll always have a soft spot in...
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Little Honey , the fourth in a series of Lost Highway-issued Williams studio albums released this decade, is yet another steady piece of competent Americana from one of this era's most celebrated songwriters. Each album in the series is nearly as noteworthy as her 1998 classic Car Wheel On a Gravel Road , though none hit the long-labored perfection for which that album is celebrated. Little mor...
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After listening to Little Honey it is great to see Lucinda Williams happy again. I'm also glad she is still sassy. She has recorded her share of memorable duets over the years, but "Jailhouse Tears" is in my opinion the best duet of her career. Previously my favorite duet of hers was "Down to the Well" with Kevin Gordon from 2000. The duet with Costello ranks with some of the great country d...
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I've written before on AWT that I was no fan of Lucinda's previous release West. The whole girl gets done wrong by a loser then gets dark and dreary act was old on on the album. There were few great songs on the album but what worked on World Without Tears slid into a disturbing creepiness on West. I say all of this because Williams is absolutely one of my favorite artists. I am not one of thes...
More >
Newsflash: alt-country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams , long known for the intensity of her bittersweet ruminations on missed connections and failed relationships, is happy. At least so claims the New York Daily News in this recap of Williams' forthcoming album Little Honey (out Oct. 14), full of celebrations of her new relationship with co-producer Tom Overby. A happy Lucinda Williams...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Real Love |
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| 2 Circles and X's |
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| 3 Tears of Joy |
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| 4 Little Rock Star |
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| 5 Honey Bee |
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| 6 Well Well Well |
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| 7 If Wishes Were Horses |
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| 8 Jailhouse Tears |
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| 9 Knowing |
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| 10 Heaven Blues |
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| 11 Rarity |
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| 12 Plan to Marry |
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| 13 It's a Long Way to the Top |
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 "Little Honey")
