Williams seems to've hit one of those mid-late career sweet spots; since the classic Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998) and then 2003's almost equally great Essence, she's released a new record every couple of years, each one satisfying and rewarding in its own right, and seeming to fit completely naturally within her large, rich stream of work.
Blessed is no exception. It has plenty of high points, and it never seems like Williams is simply retreading old ground, but in both its mellower, more cosmic moments and amidst the most energetic roots-rockers (often, as is her latter day wont, touched by the blues) that it has to offer, it sounds like nothing so much as Lucinda Williams, her voice as characterful as ever, although - surprisingly - a bit smoother on this outing than generally on her other recent albums.
Blessed is no exception. It has plenty of high points, and it never seems like Williams is simply retreading old ground, but in both its mellower, more cosmic moments and amidst the most energetic roots-rockers (often, as is her latter day wont, touched by the blues) that it has to offer, it sounds like nothing so much as Lucinda Williams, her voice as characterful as ever, although - surprisingly - a bit smoother on this outing than generally on her other recent albums.
