Customer Reviews

Little Honey [Vinyl]

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Lucinda's ninth album contrasts with the downbeat nature of "West" in being a generally a more upbeat collection; it comes as a bit of a surprise to learn that most of its songs were originally written for "West" (though "Circles And Xs" dates back to 1985 and "Well Well Well" to the Sweet Old World days of 1992).
"Little Honey", however, stretches Lucinda's already eclectic musical envelope even further beyond the approved boundaries of country and Americana.
She's retained West's engineer Eric Liljestrand as co-producer (with Tom Overby) for Little Honey, and there's real high-octane chemistry in the support crew, which mostly comprises her latest crack road band (now collectively known as Buick 6), including among its ranks guitarists Chet Lyster and Doug Pettibone, bassist David Sutton and drummer Butch Norton; additionally, keyboardist Rob Burger (who'd played on the "West" sessions) returns to gently fill out the textures some more.
In the 30 years since her first album, Lucinda Williams has become known as one of the most expressive, emotive singers around, her country-blues voice cracked through with heartbreak. She's still crying, but this time it's tears of joy over her marriage to manager Tom Overby. Yet this is no saccharine outpouring: "Honey Bee" is a stomping, fearsome ode to her lover, while gorgeous lament "If Wishes Were Horses" recalls earlier pains.
"Little Honey" is a very physical album, though it still keenly (and sensually) expresses that quality of introspective spiritual heartache that has made Lucinda one of country music's most enduring songwriters of our time.
It kicks off with the rock power of "Real Love". That's followed by "Circles and Xs": It's classic country blues as is the next track "Tears Of Joy", a soulful groove, a gorgeous stately stroll.
Williams is also a great lyricist and on "Little Rock Star", she offers a stark warning on the wasting of talent.
Warm fuzzy horns and distant guitars gently wash over the eight-minute sprawl of "Rarity", a prolonged low-key assault on the senses, leading into "Plan To Marry", a Joan Baez-tinged reflection on love's vagaries.
Having lulled us into the mood of these melancholy musings, Lucinda then lurches off down a rockier road with a swaying and strutting take on AC/DC's "It's A Long Way To The Top".
Strangely less so is the duet with the ubiquitous Elvis Costello.
The song "Jailhouse Tears" - two quirky voices in perfect symmetry -
is perhaps just too campy and obvious.
Highlights :"If Wishes Were Horses", "Tears of Joy" and "It's A Long Way To The Top".

"The object of cultish adoration for years, the American singer/songwriter is universally hailed as a major talent by both critics and fellow musicians, but it took quite some time for her to parlay that respect into a measure of attention from the general public. Part of the reason was her legendary perfectionism: she released records only infrequently, often taking years to hone both the material and the recordings thereof. Plus, her early catalog was issued on smaller labels that agreed to her insistence on creative control but didn't have the resources or staying power to fully promote her music. Yet her meticulous attention to detail and staunch adherence to her own vision were exactly what helped build her reputation".-Steve Huey/AMG
At 56, after 30 years in the music business, a string of critically acclaimed albums and three Grammys, she is still something of an acquired taste.
Maybe it's her voice - red raw with passion - or maybe her songs are sometimes just too intense for many listeners.
Her ninth studio album is another masterclass of soulful country blues, but it finds her in more upbeat mood than last year's excellent "West".
For someone whose music is a byword for heartbreak, it's disconcerting that Lucinda Williams's latest album should open with a boisterous, bluesy paean to the joys of love.
On "Real Love", the sense of abandon is fuelled by the electric guitar that she loves but, before the suggestion takes hold that "Little Honey" is the rock album she's always threatened to make, the tone shifts into the more familiar territory of sadness and regret.
"Tears Of Joy" is accompanied by softly throbbing blues guitar and an emphasis on the word 'crying'; while Williams never conceals the fissures of experience running through her fabulous husky voice.
Yet it's emotional ambiguity that Williams excels at, and "Little Honey" drips with it.
This album is notable for its lightness of touch. Whether that's the campy, honky-tonk jam with Elvis Costello ("Jailhouse Tears") or the sparse ballad for her fiancé ("The Knowing), she wraps her honeysuckle voice around them all.
Little Rock Star's sweet tale of redemption through music could be the story of Williams's own life.
Lucinda is happier on more wistful subject matter, particularly "If Wishes Were Horses" and "Circles and Xs"; but not even some superior guitar-playing and an intriguing collection of backing singers (Matthew Sweet, Susanna Hoffs and Charlie Louvin) can hide a certain kind of mediocrity of most of the second half of the album.
All in all, it's a bittersweet treat of soulful country blues.
It is not a bad outing at all, it's great album but not her best.
My favourite tracks: "Jailhouse Tears","If Wishes Were Horses" and "It's A Long Way To The Top".
It debuts at # 9 of The Billboard 200 Chart; at # 1 of the Top Internet Albums and at # 1 of the Top Tastemakers Chart.
Issue Date: 2008-11-01

West

Little Honey is a much happier album the Lucinda's last album, West, although I'm not sure it's better, it's just as good just the same.
The album kicks off with "Real Love" a rocking, happy tune. It's something we've never heard from Lucinda, then it goes into the country-tinged ballad "Circles and X's" which was actually written over twenty years ago and I'm not sure why she hadn't used it before, and she slips into a very bluesy "Tears Of Joy" talking about playing games but now she has met a man to whom she loves, then comes the loud, beautiful "Little Rock Star", now this is one of the highlights, most definitley, it may even be the best song on the album. "Honey Bee" is a fast raunchy rocker, it is fun although a bit silly.
"Well Well Well" comes next and I must say, it's a bit too country for my taste. It's an okay song, but again just not my taste. If "Well Well Well" was a disappointment, "If Wishes Were Horses" made up for it and then some! This is my second favorite next to "Little Rock Star". But then things take a turn downward when we get to "Jailhouse Tears", which again is an okay song but I think adding Elvis Costello's vocals wasn't a great idea, but the song itself is okay. So now we're on "Knowing" and I must say, it's a beautiful little love song and "Heaven Blues" is a wonderful little blues song about going to Heaven, the music is almost too happy for lyrics that are so sad. "I'm gonna see my mother up in Heaven..."
"Rarity" is another beautiful love song and "Plan To Marry" is about how "love is a sword" and a song for those who love, believe in love and why people marry.
"It's A Long Way To The Top" is a cover and it's a great rock n' roll closer to an awesome Lucinda Williams album! 5 stars.

Lucinda Williams has been on an incredible creative spurt in this decade. After releasing only 5 albums in 20 years (1979-1998), this is Lucinda's 4th studio album in just this decade (5 albums altogether when you include the "Fillmore" live album from 2005). In early 2007 Lucinda released the devastating "West" album, dealing with the passing away of her mother and relationships gone south (a common theme to many of her albums). About 18 months later, Lucinda comes back with this release.

"Little Honey" (13 tracks; 64 min.) brings a more uplifting mood of Lucinda, now apparently in a happy relationship (her producer). The album starts off with a rousing "Real Love" but after that, it becomes a very uneven affair, regretfully. Case in point is "Tears of Love", a lazy song that goes nowhere, as is the case with "Jailhouse Tears", which sounds like a throwaway song. The acoustic-driven "Little Rock Star" shines, though. The standout track on here is the 8+ min. slow-burner "Rarity", which reminds me of Lucinda of old. The album closes with a curious (and ineffective) cover of AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top", it's not bad as such but it just makes me wanna reach back to the original AC/DC song.

In all, this is a very uneven album. For one, its running time is way too long. Cut out about 3-4 of the least effective songs and instead you'd have a much stronger set. That said, Lucinda Williams is a fabulous live act. I've seen her in concert before and I can only hope that I'll have a chance to see her on the tour supporting this album.

Finally, Lu gets back to her bluesy roots with some of her most upbeat songs in a decade. If "Little Honey" doesn't get you moving, you need to check your pulse. Also, there is some wonderful, understated guitar work by Tom Pettibone throughout. Buy this record. You won't be disappointed.

In 2002, Time Magazine proclaimed Lucinda Williams "America's Best Songwriter", and this new collection from Ms. Williams further solidifies her legitimate claim to this honor. After her emotional, introspective release of 2006, "West", Lucinda's 10th album during her 30-year career finds her full of the joy of a new love in her life, and her poetry and music show it.

"Little Honey" opens with the hard-rocking single "Real Love", showcasing the voice that won Lucinda the Best Female Rock Vocalist Grammy in 2001 (and additional nominations in Rock categories in 2003 & 2007). True to her well-known form, however, she refuses to be pigeon-holed in one genre and follows up with the "torch and twang" of "Circles And X's". But she's only just begun showing the breadth and depth of her enormous talent - next up is the smoky, slow blues of "Tears of Joy". Next is a soaring rock ballad about the tragic excesses sometimes found in the music business, "Little Rock Star". Next, another rocker, "Honey Bee", a song that she and her band, Buick 6, particularly enjoy playing live.

Then, she and the band are back in a back roads honky-tonk of her native South with the old-time country swing of "Well, Well, Well" (with the legendary 81 year-old Charlie Louvin singing background vocals). Next up, a classic Lucinda Williams song of heart-rending regret (and perhaps my favorite song on the album), "If Wishes Were Horses".

And so it goes through the rest of the album, with Lucinda & Buick 6 expertly genre-hopping from more honky-tonk country ("Jailhouse Tears", a duet with Elvis Costello), delta blues ("Heaven Blues"), then a beautiful ballad condemning the music industry for ignoring a rare talent ("Rarity"), a folk / protest song ("Plan to Marry") and wrapping up the set with a rocking cover of AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top" that she somehow makes all her own.

I was left in awe after my first listen to this album, and continue to be more & more impressed with (many) repeated plays. The production is top-notch, with Doug Pettibone's wailing guitar & Lucinda's powerful vocals "out and front" in the mix.

This album is a pure joy. I honestly believe it ranks right up there with "World Without Tears" and perhaps even "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" her seminal work which won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1999. I just hope the Grammy committee is listening to Lucinda again this year.

Bottom line - buy this album. You will not be disappointed.

I'm a huge Lucinda Williams fan, I've flown 1/2 across the country to see her live. This is on the bottom of my collection.

Very uninspired, dull, rought, and predictable. There's not a Metal Firecracker, Essence, Joy, Car Wheels (and this list goes on) on this entire albumn.

Just don't get it.

She's an amazing performer, in my mind one of the most talented musicians alive. Incredible in concert.

If I put together a "best of" there's certainly not a single song on this albumn on it.

If you're are new listener, then get Car Wheels or spring for the Live at Austin DVD, now that's incredible.

An AMAZING release ! Lucinda Williams has so many eclectic styles all cohesively working together on this disc. The country Lucinda , the rock Lucinda , the blues Lucinda . So many different styles , but it all flows together so well. The entire disc sounds like a session where they just let the tape roll , and then added a few embellishments. If you like Lucinda , you will LOVE "Little Honey"

Little Honey is Lucinda Williams' latest CD, and here we find her straying from what she does best which is brooding blue/country laments. Williams strays into many songs that are more rock oriented, and she sticks out here like a sore thumb. "Honey Bee" has a very punchy delivery that is very foreign to Williams' better material. Unfortunately, style is not the only malady that plagues Little Honey. "Heaven Blues" is a highly repetitive song that is beneath her skill in both writing and overall musicianship. I would joking call this a 7-11 song - seven words repeated 11 times. In reality, it is 6 phrases each repeated 4 times. This is very disappointing from someone with a 30 year career of much higher quality writing. "Plan To Marry" is a striking contrast that is more up to her standards. In this song Williams beautifully sets up love and marriage as the rock of an institution that helps us overcome all the trials that we face in life. These two songs are just one example of dichotomy on Little Honey. "If Wishes Were Horses" is another splendid lament (Williams' bread and butter). While the chorus is somewhat repetitive, the verses give enough breadth to compensate. Additionally, Williams' vocal delivery is just stunning. However, one only need advance the CD a single track to wind up back in the ditch. Here we got Elvis Costello channeling Bob Dylan (how crazy is that?) along with Williams going salty with f-bombs and s-bombs. I will admit that this is not fair, but it is a real turnoff in music when a female singer resorts to this. It's by no means overdone, but it was very jarring even in a limited scope. While I have given other female artists a pass on this, it is just too incongruous here. At the end of it all, Little Honey is a real mixed bag. Regardless of which songs appeal to your tastes, I would expect that you will find plenty that you don't like. You'll be better off buying the individual songs that are to your taste.

Download this: "If Wishes Were Horses"

"Little Honey" is a very good, not great, album. It's solid. But it's certainly not among Lucinda Williams' finest work. While it is a vast improvement over last year's lackluster "West," it has a few problems of its own.

Williams is, essentially, an alternative singer/songwriter who blends country, rock and blues into a rather unique, earthly sound. And her records are strongest when they employ elements from each style. So what to make of an out-and-out rock song like "Real Love"? Well, it's not all that great. In this album opener, Williams' songwriting and vocal delivery sound oddly forced -- like she's trying to "Joan Jett" it up -- a real disappointment for an artist who is known for the authenticity her music exudes. The laughable "Honey Bee" delivers more of the same, only with less of a hook. Only the albums closer "It's A Long Way To The Top" delivers a strong, convincing rock track.

Luckily, the rock numbers are few. But Williams even missteps on the country-blues song "Jailhouse Tears," which is possibly the worst composition she has released since 1980. It's laughable, and to make matters worse, Williams duets with Elvis Costello, who sounds like a bad '80s leftover on the track. (Is he singing through his sinuses?) To top it off, the song is obnoxious and, again, terribly forced. If this song had to be included, why not push it to the end of the album where it would have been avoidably offensive? Oh, and "Little Rock Star" is Williams at her preachiest, and it demands to be skipped. Boo! Hiss!

Happily, the remainder of the album showcases Williams doing what she does best: roots rock disguised as soulful country. The impeccable ballad "If Wishes Were Horses" reminds us why we fell in love with Williams in the first place, as does the equally gorgeous "Knowing," a haunting meditation on finally being let into "the love club".

Now, about Lucinda Williams' voice.

For years, I have described her vocals as "warm honey and razor blades," and her voice has never sounded more thread-bare -- or lovelier -- than it does on this album right here. Williams bellows the opening line of "... Horses" with sheer heartbreak, as she almost sniffles her way through the words, "When I turned on you and said those things, I didn't mean 'em". The ballads here are the strength of the album, and they aren't snoozers like the ones on "West".

All in all, this is a worthy (if imperfect) album from Williams. While it does not register among her best, it's worth adding to a collection. A few tracks will become favorites, for certain.

(Note: Amazon should update its rating system to include half stars, because this album is a 3-1/2-star collection, but I bumped it up to a 4 because it doesn't deserve a 3.)