Lucinda Alive By Amanda on February 14, 2008 8:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
So way back last year it was announced Lucinda Williams would do a series of concerts in which, each night, she played one of her albums in its entirety. That was the first half of the show. The second half was a normal gig, bits and pieces of other stuff and songs from the new album, West. During this second half, the album songs would be whipped up digitally and on their way out audience members could pick up a CD of the show they had just enjoyed. A very cool idea, and one I'd like to see others pick up. Cooler still, it was later announced these shows would be sold from her website so everyone could enjoy them. I went straight to lucindawilliams.com store when they went on sale.
Since I was planning/saving for a long overseas trip at that stage I um'd and ah'd about getting the "box set" of all five before having one of my rare moments of thrift and responsibility and just ordered a single disc, the show that recreated her 1988 self-titled album.
So then I waited for six or seven weeks. I [long rant about poor customer service redacted. it was months ago, I should probably just get over it.]
I went overseas and came home and in amongst the eight weeks of accumulated bank statements, junk mail, take-away menus, election material, begging letters and catalogues, I found a package from Lost Highway. It was kinda a large package. Inside were all five CDs, and one was personally autographed. I know from the forum that other people got the surprise autograph, but still special.
I do not know whether sending me all the discs instead of the single one I paid for is an apology for the snafu, or yet another snafu.
So anyway I am obsessed with these records. Each of these five albums are pretty perfect in their original condition and it is a blast to hear them recreated this way. Individually, each gives you that whole album feeling of a group of songs which belong together, and yet each disc sits next to each other as a satisfying continuum of 20 years despite the evolving sensibility and style. At one point on the live Lucinda Williams -- after "The Night's Too Long", I think -- she comments she wrote "more literally" back then. I don't think that's true, really, but maybe it means she wrote more 'story songs' back then. I know some people are split and don't get anything after Car Wheels, but I vote yes on it all. If I can use a sort of stupid but sometimes accurate phrase: all these records speak to me in an awfully powerful and sustained way.
There is no great re-imagining of the original album sound in these live shows, which will please those who need to choose between the earlier and the later styles. You want the straight up country/folk/rock Lu or the messy, angry Lu: you got it. The between song chat is interesting (lyrics changes Nashville wanted, all out with Gurf Morlix, background to song songs) although occasionally repetitive. Jim Lauderdale is in the band for a fair bit of it. Something is added I think by hearing the older Lucinda inhabiting the earlier songs.
Lucinda's in the top couple of people I haven't seen live -- I still have on my wall a poster advertising here canclled 2004 shows here -- but desperately need to. For $20 AUD a go (when they damn well get around to sending them to you) these are entirely involving and enchanting.
By cs
on February 15, 2008 6:59 PM
Wow!