Lucinda Williams re-records "Sweet Old World" album for September 29, 2017 release*

It's funny because I've just never thought of Lucinda having a "vocal instrument"! While her voice has changed, j just don't think it's been that extreme...

 

I really like Lucinda but won't pay to see her. Her voice/singing in the last ten years is to boring for me.

Got a big laugh when I read that she thinks it's much better now, come on!

 

I like the new arrangement of "Six Blocks Away" but Lucinda's voice is completely shot. I could hardly make out what she was singing in some parts..like he had a mouth full of marbles. If the rest of the album has similar vocals then I think I'll stick with the original which is a classic despite what Lucinda thinks of it!

 

To much mumble for me, and she don't have any power in her singing, like she's grasping for more air.

 

I think her voice is WAY better now. I love her last album the most.

 

That's a good record and her voice works better in the studio but live it isn't very good.

And this whole record seemed to be cut live(in the studio), so there's that.

I like the songs so I will definitely give this a listen once released

 

This highlights all that's changed. I love the tougher more aggressive sound--the guitars are just wonderful and not vanilla like on the original recording. But it also highlights how she now sings in this stoned out, one step from sleep voice. I like pretty much everything she's done lately, but when you compare her vocals now to the first version, the new voice can't even compare.

 

Lucinda Williams has just gotten better as time has passed. While I'd of preferred a completely new album, there's no doubt this will find its way into my collection.

 

That yearning tone, full of sweetness and lust, is just not there anymore. I don't know if it's a getting old thing, or abusing your body thing, but there it is. It's a crying shame actually because I'm a huge fan, and saw her at a bunch of great shows. It happened right when she started reading her lyrics onstage, so I actually am worried for her.

 

Love it.

 

That's what happens when the songwriting talent fades. Or better yet, re-record the songs with a symphony orchestra. An act of desperation.

 

but that's the thing...her last 2 albums were very good. and they were double/triple albums too. this just seems lazy.

 

Pink vinyl, ltd to 2000, at bullmoose.com

 

Usually, a bad idea...

 

Hmmm. I really miss the rush of organ that opens the original version of "Six Blocks Away" and it's true that this new jangly "Americana" version (for lack of better way to describe it) turns what was a joyful little pop song of about 2:47 mins. into a 4:13 draggy version. It's not bad exactly but it changes the feeling of the song for me. Lucinda's voice was so pure and clear on that album, and that old band was pretty dang good. I completely forgot that Benmont Tench played Hammond B-3 on the original album (not sure if Tench played on Six Blocks Away) but Lucinda had a solid band with Gurf Morlix and Duane Jarvis on guitars. I will listen to more with open ears.

 

I like the cover! Here's the tracklisting from Amazon (even though the vinyl is listed with a 09/29/2017 release date, according to Lu's PledgeMusic page, the vinyl will ship mid-October):

1 Six Blocks Away
2 Prove My Love
3 Something About What Happens When We Talk
4 Memphis Pearl
5 Sidewalks of the City
6 Sweet Old World
7 Little Angel, Little Brother
8 Pineola
9 Lines Around Your Eyes
10 Drivin' Down a Dead End Street
11 Hot Blood
12 Which Will
13 Factory Blues (Bonus Track)
14 What You Don't Know (Bonus Track)
15 Wild and Blue (Bonus Track)
16 Dark Side of Life (Bonus Track)

 

So it's almost the whole album re-recorded (no "He Never Got Enough Love"). I like how she has reshuffled the order of the playlist. And it is a great cover.

 

Perhaps that isn't the official tracklisting/order, since I only found it on Amazon, and they are not always known for their accuracy with advance product details...

 

Glad to see a version of "Factory Blues". That's one my favorites from her.

My only version is on this radio broadcast boot:


Lucinda Wiliams
De Effenaar
Eindhoven-Netherlands
19th May 1989

Radio broadcast KRO-radio 28th April 2006 (Legendarisch Live)

Source: FM

01. I Just Wanted To See You So Bad
02. Big Red Sun Blues
03. Am I Too Blue
04. Crescent City
05. The Night's Too Long
06. Something About What Happens When We Talk
07. Factory Blues
08. Happy Woman Blues
09. Abandoned
10. Wild And Blue
11. Passionate Kisses
12. Changed The Locks
13. Nothing In Rambling
14. Sundays


51:36

Gurf Morlix- guitar
Donald Lindley- drums
Jim Lessey- bass

 

I didn't realize the '89 show had been released on the deluxe version of the first album in 2014. I need to pick that up.

On a side note, do you think Lucinda will ever release the songs on Car Wheels that she did with Gurf? I really like a lot of the versions he produced better.

 

Gordon Lightfoot used to re-record a lot of his songs and release them again.

Worked for him. Hope it works for Lucinda.

Her original version of the song Sweet Old World is one of my favourite tunes of all time.

 

That CD artwork does look great. Is this a vintage shot of her from way back then? If not then I think a LOT of photoshopping took place unless Lucinda has miraculously lost 30 years from her face and quite a few pounds. Last I saw her a year or so ago I hardly recognized her.

 

Ouch. That track posted on YouTube sounds serviceable, and the cover is nice... but I agree with above posters that her voice is diminished, and there was nothing wrong with the original record (I mean, yeah, Gurf's production was thin-sounding, but the records are amazing regardless) I wish we could get a AAA reissue of it. She really peaked to my ears with that three album group (s/t, Sweet, Car Wheels), though there were a few fine moments on Essence and World Without Tears. Her material and vocal performances just fell off a cliff after that point. Oh well, those three records hit a standard very few can reach!

The "Lucinda Williams" record was so amazing; it was playing in an Athens, GA record store the week it was released, I heard it and bought it (Rough Trade CD) after asking the clerk who it was. The clerk was Amy of The Indigo Girls; they were recording their first album in Athens at the time, and I guess she knew the store owner and was hanging out/helping out. Amy just raved about it, but I was already sold!

 

I think she sings great on West and that is from 2007. Kinda lost her for a while after that but somewhere in the last 10 years she lost a lot, especially live

 

That reminded me, I think I fell hard for the s/t album in 1989 driving up to Dallas for a Rolling Stones show. Seems like it was the day that the Berlin Wall came down. Had the album on constant play with some other new releases of the day but Lucinda made such an amazing album, we all fell in love with her. Which means we waited with such anticipation for "Sweet Old World", the next album.