It seems like Lucinda Williams has been in a constant process of getting over failed relationships for the last decade, and her latest album hasn't come around to change that—thematically, the songs on West detail Williams' intensely personal attempts to deal with the disappointment of love, which is standard turf for her. But in terms of music, West is an effortlessly perfect combination of country, folk, blues and rock that neither she nor many others has ever achieved.
West is her most brilliant, cohesive album since Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, which is saying something considering Car Wheels is one of the greatest albums of the '90s and one of the best country albums ever.
Part of Williams' appeal is the fact that like Springsteen's, her albums revolve around the same themes—in her case, love, post-love depression, bitterness and losing faith—without ever treading water. Williams is an artist who lives and loves fully and when things don't work out with the latter, she isn't afraid to confront how horrible it feels.
""Learning How to Live"" is one of the greatest and saddest songs about post-relationship depression. The music is a slow, simple, even peaceful alt-country song with acoustic guitar, piano, and organ, but it is Lucinda's gravely, world-worn croak/croon that gives this song its life. Somehow Williams' voice is always so commanding you never doubt her self control, but so world-beaten you wouldn't be surprised if she stopped singing mid-song and left to go stare at a blank wall in a small town bar for the rest of her life. She knows the pain of love, the depression of breaking up and the healing power of music and art, of which she is one of today's greatest purveyors. With lines like ""They say the best is yet to come / But the taste of you is still on my tongue / I can't forget and I won't even try / To erase your image and the way you made me cry,"" Williams is undoubtedly one of the greatest lyricists in any musical genre today.
Many lines from this album are so honest and perfectly phrased that they take away your breath, and in most cases, any happiness you might be currently experiencing because they're so depressing. ""Unsuffer Me"" is a plea for a lover to make her feel better, but with a line like ""My joy is dead, I long for bliss"" Williams makes it clear she doesn't really expect much relief from life's pain anytime soon. She even doubts the use of sharing her pain on ""Everything Has Changed,"" where she says ""All the words that used to work have melted in the sun / And I don't want to talk to anyone.""
""Come On"" is a hard country rocker in the Crazy Horse vein where Williams puts down a guy who ""didn't even make"" her.
This song is a stark contrast to what precedes it, but this is what makes West such a thrilling listen: while it may be as depressing as Essence, it's more musically eclectic and memorable.
West is more than what most artists ever accomplish; while so many manic depressives with guitars are content to make albums that convey the depths of their depression, Williams has that rare, er, gift to make records that actually spread her depression into your soul. Sound like fun? Well, if the songs weren't so damn good the whole thing would be too painful to take except in small doses, but Lucinda gives her songs just enough melody to keep hope afloat and make West an album you'll want to hear over and over.
""Where is My Love?"" is a perfect example of this. Over a gorgeous, meandering melody, Williams groans about hypothetical people all over the country that may have the key to her happiness. ""Is my love in Birmingham ... overjoyed to be my man / and rolling up his flannel sleeves?""
There is of course no answer to any of this, only the sneaking suspicion that wherever Williams' next love is, it's bound to be passionate and bitter and within a few years we'll be hearing her lament about the pain of it ending.
But when Lucinda suffers, she manages to turn her personal pain into some of the most affecting music you'll ever hear. With West, Williams continues to create one of the strongest, most consistent discographies in the history of country, folk, blues and rock music, and asserts herself as one of the most brilliant artists in music today.
