Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (Review)

Hi. Hey. Hello. ItzSonny and...Lucinda Williams. Exploring through the vast waves of all-time albums to review, I stumbled upon this release and loved the cover, this very ambient simplistic photograph of a house afar, a gravel road, and an evening atmosphere and I just had to check it out...only to discover it's a country album...and then...I got even more hyped. I'm sorry, I wasn't lying...I like any type of music...and that includes country. I'm not super versed into the genre, aside some really cool songs of it that I have discovered and are in my playlist, yet upon discovery, this is considered a classic and what better way than have this be my gateway into the genre proper, so without any further ado, let's review Lucinda William's "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road."

BACKGROUND

This would be the record that truly put Lucinda Williams on the map in the music sphere, as before this, her career was a slow burn having released four albums and it had been 6 years from her previous record "Sweet Old World" to this one as she really wanted to get this one right creatively, which as an artist, I can respect. During the 90s, Williams found an opportunity as she had a role to play in both country and rock with a revival country era coming on and with influence from many things, including Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, she got to making this album. Even going through two different versions of the album, she managed to create her distinct vision with her third version of the LP and released it into the world, with it defining her as a music staple, now let's walk down that road.

REVIEW

"Right In Time"

As an opener, it's very solid and highly listenable, a simple way to kick things off by just simply focusing on Linda pondering about a romantic interest she once rode with and how she still mourns him, with a very fun and enjoyable chorus and overall country instrumental to back pedal the entire tune. This song alone really works not only as an opener, yet proving to anyone that country is fun, as it's no different from pop and such, just a more simpler portrayal of instruments, authentic feel, and the right vocals to really make it special. 

"Car Wheels On A Gravel Road"

Again, another fun song. From my examination, it seems to me this song details just Lucinda reflecting from enduring her seemingly former house and all its outworn material to the many stories of the town she grew up in to dealing with her child and being a mother, a very nice reflective song that is again energetic, simple, and fun, with a really clean overall arrangement and melody to make it captivating and continue the LP's nice flow and bundle of vibes. 

"2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten"

This one takes more of a mood swing, with a fun concept of Lucinda detailing a bar that is drowning in sorrow and somberness. It's got really creative and detailed lyricism in describing this setting with Lucinda's voice really aiding the overall story and an overall moody atmosphere to it that stems from the track's title with a somberness to it, yet still a noble analysis of everything, aiding to the overall core of "reflection" that the album is containing at its core. 

"Drunken Angel"

A very compelling song, one that from my perspectives is left vague in its demeanor and feels conflicted in itself in the best ways, depicting a character known as the "drunken angel" who can play a guitar really well and was adored by everybody, yet seemingly got drunk a lot and did a lot of negative things, presenting him as a sort of sorrowful figure who hit rock bottom and also as someone who could be heavily flawed, yet human, it's very great and intelligent with a sweet tone to it musically that makes this one stand out. 

"Concrete and Barbed Wire"

What this album is doing great so far is its sheer simplicity, this time presenting the very familiar concept of us being divided by a wall in mindset, with Lucinda conveying through events going on that aid this idea and its great and clever, with a very play of strings and a very memorable melody for its simplicity that is soothing and punches in that old country vibe. 

"Lake Charles"

Simplicity is key, this one aiding to the overall idea of "reflection", with Lucinda's companion missing his home of Lake Charles and discussing how the setting brought joyful memories and how an angel took away his pain, with a very southern low-down melancholic and yet blissful overall melody and tone into its flow going in that makes this one feel like the perfect looking out the window as the sunsets on your way home from a long road trip kind of song, in the best way. 

"Can't Let Go"

This one stands out by being a bit more angry, despite its more straightforward and collective delivery from Lucinda, with her depicting how she can't let go, despite her partner being very ignorant and unloving towards her, with a much more bouncy, jumpy, and gruff play of the guitar here to make this more energetic and spicy, I may say. 

"I Lost It"

This one could be my favorite across the album, just for its sincerity, a simple concept of losing an item that means so much to you and how nothing can truly replace it, with a very nice overall chorus that is memorable and tight in writing, with a very simple arrangement to go with it. 

"Metal Firecracker"

To be honest, when this song kicks off, it sounds very formulaic already with the rest of the album, yet as it went on, it managed to redeem itself, following the same beat as her not wanting her lover to reveal their secrets, yet what made this one work is despite the album already repeating its ideals, this one works effectively with a fun chorus, both instrumentally and vocally, that really saves the entire song by being a joy to the ears in its charm. 

"Greenville"

Now the album's starting to go a different direction, building off the previous track by going fully directional in its sorrowness of Lucinda being done with her lover, a completely broken relationship that feels raw and authentic, despite its cheery melody in the back, almost presenting a false exterior with a hidden darkness inside that is truly compelling and really feels like "damn." 

"Still I Long For Your Kiss"

This one's just kind of depressing if you think about it, just her desiring for her lover once more, despite his abusive tendencies, like damn, it gives off a hopeful nature in its overall instrumental, yet the lyrics are just like...damn, girl, he isn't worth it, like if this doesn't describe all of modern day dating life, I don't know what the hell is, just remember people, learn to move on and find those better suited for you, even if in this circumstance, it’s difficult because no one was on par with this person's level and that is truly heartbreaking. 

"Joy"

Now we get more into the surrealism, with this one continuing the tone of how Lucinda wants her joy back with a more kickass almost rock arrangement to it, less country and more rough, with almost a walk of anger aesthetic to it, it's just her wanting to be happy again and with that desire being angry, so for a song called 'joy, it's ironic and almost humorous in that detail. 

"Jackson"

A great song that makes the album come full circle by it detailing instead how Lucinda not only is leaving Jackson, yet how she won't miss it, could be potentially analyzed as in-denial or a truth, with it feeling bittersweet and how it really goes to show the album's idea of "reflection" perfectly.

CONCLUSION

Being my gateway country album, I think what makes this great in that circumstance is how great of an album it is on its own with more than just great delivery from the legendary Lucinda Williams, the very memorable and authentic mix of country melodies, yet at the end, it’s the writing that really sells it, going with this idea of "reflection" and how every song has a part to play through the whole album's ideals, yet goes further and every song stands on its own with its subject matter and how in the end, maybe it's best not to reflect at all, though it could get a little repetitive, this is still a fantastic old school country album that for sure has left its mark on me and something I will reflect upon as I drive onto the roads. It's been Sonny and so long, farewell, and goodbye.