Essence (Lucinda Williams album)
| Essence | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Lucinda Williams | ||||
| Released | June 5, 2001 | |||
| Genre | Americana, Alternative country | |||
| Length | 50:58 | |||
| Label | Lost Highway | |||
| Producer |
Bo Ramsey Tom Tucker Lucinda Williams | |||
| Lucinda Williams chronology | ||||
| ||||
Essence is Lucinda Williams' sixth album. It was released in 2001. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 28, selling about 44,500 copies in its first week.[1] According to Billboard as of February 2008, the album had sold 336,000 copies in the U.S.[2]
Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 82/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Blender | [5] |
| Chicago Sun-Times | [6] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide | A−[7] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[8] |
| Los Angeles Times | [9] |
| Q | [10] |
| Rolling Stone |  [11] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [12] |
| Spin | 8/10[13] |
Essence was highly anticipated coming after a three-year gap from her lauded Car Wheels on a Gravel Road and the critical reviews reflect that. Although positive, none rate the album as highly as her breakthrough. Robert Christgau, who raved about Car Wheels, called the album "imperfect" but still praised her artistry saying "[she] is too damn good to deny."[7] Reviewers noted the difference in tone between the two albums with Rolling Stone citing the "willful intimacy" of the music[11] while Spin contrasted its "halting, spare" presentation with Car Wheels "giddy, verbose" one.[13] In a review posted by Salon the album was called "an emotional mess of a masterpiece".[14]
Q listed Essence as one of the best 50 albums of 2001.[15]
Personnel on the album include Tony Garnier and Charlie Sexton, best known as part of Bob Dylan's live backing band at the time. The album also features session drummer Jim Keltner.
Track listing
(All songs by Lucinda Williams)
- "Lonely Girls" – 4:01
- "Steal Your Love" – 3:14
- "I Envy the Wind" – 3:12
- "Blue" – 3:52
- "Out of Touch" – 5:25
- "Are You Down" – 5:24
- "Essence" – 5:50
- "Reason to Cry" – 3:39
- "Get Right With God" – 4:16
- "Bus to Baton Rouge" – 5:50
- "Broken Butterflies" – 5:41
Personnel
- Lucinda Williams – vocals, acoustic guitar
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Tony Garnier – bass, acoustic guitar
- Bo Ramsey – electric guitar
- Charlie Sexton – drums, hand drum, rhythm guitar, Hammond B3 organ, piano, background vocals, tremolo slide guitar
- Reese Wynans – Hammond B3 organ
- Jim Lauderdale – harmony vocals
Additional musicians:
- David Mansfield – viola
- Ryan Adams – tremolo guitar ("Essence")
- Gary Louris – background vocals ("Essence")
- Joy Lynn White – background vocals ("Get Right With God", "Bus to Baton Rouge", "Broken Butterflies")
References
- ↑ Martens, Todd (June 14, 2001). "Staind Fends Off Radiohead, St. Lunatics At No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ↑ Caulfield, Keith (February 8, 2008). "Ask Billboard: Williams' Wild 'West'". billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved 9 February 2008.
- ↑ "Reviews for Essence by Lucinda Williams". Metacritic. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
- ↑ Deming, Mark. "Essence – Lucinda Williams". AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2005.
- ↑ "Lucinda Williams: Essence". Blender (1): 107. June–July 2001.
- ↑ Houlihan, Mary (June 10, 2001). "Lucinda Williams, 'Essence' (Lost Highway)". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 16, 2017. (Subscription required (help)).
- 1 2 Christgau, Robert (June 12, 2001). "Encore From a Utopia". The Village Voice. Retrieved November 12, 2011. Rated at "Consumer Guide Drafts for Rhapsody, 2007". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
- ↑ Browne, David (June 8, 2001). "Essence". Entertainment Weekly (599): 74. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
- ↑ Nichols, Natalie (June 3, 2001). "Rawer This Time Around". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
- ↑ "Lucinda Williams: Essence". Q (178): 125. July 2001.
- 1 2 Berger, Arion (May 24, 2001). Sheffield, Rob, ed. "Recordings: All the Small Things: Lucinda Williams Essence". Rolling Stone (869): 86. Archived from the original on March 4, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
- ↑ Marsh, Dave (2004). "Lucinda Williams". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. London: Fireside Books. pp. 875–876. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- 1 2 Weisbard, Eric (July 2001). "Lucinda Williams: Essence". Spin. 17 (7): 125. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
- ↑ McLeese, Don (May 31, 2001). "Lucinda Williams' psychosexual murk". salon.com. Salon Media Group. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
- ↑ "The Best 50 Albums of 2001". Q (185): 60–65. December 2001.