Lucinda Williams: Blessed (2LP + 2CD)

Nach gut zwei Jahren erscheint nun bei Lost Highway das neue Studioalbum von Lucinda Williams uns damit ihr elftes.
"America´s best songwriter" (Time Magazine) hat dort nun 12 neue Songs aufgenommen.

Co-produziert wurde "Blessed" vom Multi-Grammy-Gewinner Don Was (The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Solomon Burke u. v.a.), neben Tom Overby, der für den umjubelten Albumvorgänger "Little Honey" von Williams verantwortlich zeichnet.

Unter den Albumgästen von "Blessed" sind (wie auch schon bei "Little Honey") Elvis Costello (Gitarre) und US-Alt-Pop-Sänger Matthew Sweet, neben Gitarrist Greg Leisz (Wilco, k. d. lang, Sheryl Crow) und Keyboarder Rami Jaffe (Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam).

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Considered by many to be one of America’s greatest living songwriters, Williams lives up to that and more by delivering 12 new songs that cover an even wider emotional spectrum than her previous work, without moving too far in any one direction.

Blessed opens with the gritty kiss-off “Buttercup” and moves seamlessly into the sultry blues of “Born To Be Loved”. Williams delves into a heavier subject as she questions the motives for a suicide on the hard-driving “Seeing Black”, which features blistering guitar from Elvis Costello. The thoughtful title track slowly builds to a melodic climax as it gives an eye-opening look at what’s right in front of us, but too often unnoticed. On the gorgeous “Kiss Like Your Kiss”, Williams lays down one of the most beautiful and fragile vocals she has ever recorded, while the poignant and powerful “Soldier’s Song” simultaneously tells a tragic story of the soldier overseas and his wife and child back home.

It’s nothing new to see Williams tug at the heartstrings and stimulate the mind in her songs, but there is a vibe throughout Blessed that is unique to this album in particular. It’s the sound of the wisdom and experience Williams has gained through her years as an uncompromising talent. Combine that with Grammy Award-winning producer Don Was at the helm, and something special is born. Was co-produced Blessed with Eric Liljestrand and Tom Overby, who co-produced Williams highly-praised Little Honey (2008). Blessed features special guests Rami Jaffe on keyboards, Matthew Sweet on vocals Greg Leisz and Elvis Costello on guitar.