Lucinda Williams live

Notec, Steve Earl has been through ,what, seven wives ? His inability to get along with any female is most likely his own problem. Lots of seasoned vets stop their shows and start tunes over. I don't like it either but it happens. Recently I saw Harry Connick not only stop mid tune but publicly ream his violinist and threaten her job. When the audience reacted he yelled" Are you writing her check ?" To me this is not a rookie thing it's a big fat egoist thing. When men do it it seems more acceptable somehow. I met another artist from her lable some years ago and he claims she really is a perfectionist and is known to be hard to work with. IMHO, BTW, the "faux" warbling came from heroin use but don't quote me on that. I totaly agree with you on Kathleen Edwards. She's fantastic. JMHO - Jim

Notec, I have a higher opinion than you do of her recent studio albums, but I generally agree with you regarding her concert persona. There is a contradiction between the allegation of perfectionism and her self-deprecating monologues and false starts that reveal the seams in the fabric in concert. She represents her touring as a work in progress, and invites the audience to share and identify with her flaws perhaps even more than her strengths. In this sense her persona is not so different from what drew the simpler audiences of the past to identify with country music stars as everyday people. The difference these days is that the audience is more gentrified, though perhaps no less gullible.

BTW, a similar cult of personality follows Billy Bragg's ego in concert.

Hm, gave up on Lucinda after Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. All that false bravado and faux warbling not my cup of tea. She's one of those legends for the sake of it type.

Thank goodness, I was beginning to think I was alone. I've never been able to warm up to Lucinda, though I have tried. Saw her live during the "gravel road" years at Merlefest and didn't like her at all. The only thing gravelly on that day was her voice.

I agree, I liked her earlier recordings. Gravel road was excellent. However, IMHO so much of her later work including Live recordings sound like she is either tired. bored or stoned.

"car wheels" is the one most people cite, and i agree it's a great record, but it's also probably her most conventional singer-songwriter fare. i prefer "essence" and "world without tears", where she more or less invents her own style--minimalist, raw and hyper-emotional. not many artists choose to be less polished and ambitious with succeeding releases, and i give her credit.
i'll also second notecs nod to kathleen edwards, who does slightly prettified version of lucinda very well--her records are excellent.