Lucinda Williams - This Sweet Old World Album

Lucinda Williams has been preforming entire albums for more than a few years now, and [laughing] often so unfamiliar with her own material that she must rely on music sheets. That being said, and wondering if this could be a new trend in music, This Sweet Old World is basically a re-recording of her 1992 album Sweet Old World.First, the album is very long, tracking in at seventy-one minutes including the bonus material, and for the most part is composed of rather slow, soaked in tragedy, carnal confessions of depressing songs from another time and place in the life of Lucinda Williams … though there are a couple of bright rockers suitable for a jangling Rickenbacker guitar. The biggest issue is that Lucinda stays true to all of the numbers, freshening them up, but making no attempt to put a new face on the songs, which to my way of thinking might have reinvigorated them, and made the album all that more interesting. That being said, there are several surprise demo versions of songs from the era that have been fleshed out and bring something new to the table; though not much.When Sweet Old World was released in 1992 it was thought that the album would go a long way in establishing Williams as a musical treasure, though with the truth being that Lucinda spiraled out of control on so many levels that she never became the sensation she could have been, yet has always managed to deliver a handful of songs that keep one wondering when she will create her masterpiece.There are those who rejoice in saying things such as “it’s all so familiar,” well of course it is, it’s more than déjà vu, it’s the same ol’ wine in the same ol’ bottle. Yes, I can fully appreciate revisiting a song or two and turning them into something else entirely, but if this ‘is’ a new musical trend, I’m afraid you’re going to be hearing me bang my head against the wall. There was no instrumentation or technology that would have made this album any better in 1992 than it is today, just a voice and stance from twenty-five years ago … though to be honest, isn’t that why we go to concerts, to hear an artist’s yesterday songs today.Review by Jenell Kesler

Thanks for your honest review of this LP. As I read your review, it did well in how it jogged my 'fan' perspective out of complacency which then had me listening again with more critical thought as opposed to blind allegiance. Having followed Williams' career for at least 25 years, it got me wondering if my subjective self overshadowed my objective and critical ear to such an extent that I was simply overlooking the flaws... A state of denial quite possibly. Glad you took time to write. Thanks for sharing.