lucinda williams

Rip It Up, Issue 191, 1 June 1993, Page 6

lucinda williams

"in the 60s I used to listen to Cream, the Doors, Spirit and all that

and Pearl Jam remind me of elements of those bands...

Hoping that "something happens when we talk", I'm waiting for Lucinda Williams to come to the phone. One of the finer new southern voices to emerge from the 80s, her latest album, 1992'sSweetOldWorld, is the much awaited follow-up to 1988's self-titled major label debut. Lucinda is sitting in Nashville as we speak, an ironic location for a lady who says "I don't want to be known as a country artist" within the first minute of our conversation, "You see," she says, "I sort of fall between the cracks. I'm not really country at all."

Indeed Sweet Old World has been receiving airplay on college/ alternative radio in the States (where it has sold close to 100,000 copies) and the bulk of the audiences to the shows are drawn from the same.

On the phone Lucinda — while never unfriendly — is hardly forthcoming. Most questions are answered by an endearingly drawled "yeah" or "no" and she really only sounds enthused when I mention the

fact that Austin singer/ songwriterjimmy Lafave is supporting her when she tours here in July — "He is!!! You're kidding — that'd be great, wow. I think he's incredible."

Lucinda then, perhaps surprisingly for some, begins to rave about Seattle grangers Pearl Jam — "They're one of my favourite bands at the moment. You see people don't know me. I mean, in the 60s I used to

listen to Cream, the Doors, Spirit and all that and Pearl Jam remind me of elements of those bands — and the guy who sings in that band reminds me of the singer from Spirit." [the late 60s, early 70s California hippy band]. "The other person I think is real good is Victoria Williams and I like the band . . . you know the Jayhawks". When it comes to talking about her own music, Lucinda

is somewhat less garrulous. When pressed I discover her personal favourites from Sweet Old World are "... the Nick Drake song, I like 'Sweet Old World' and 'Little Angel Little Brother' "(written about her own brother) "and I like 'Never Got Enough Love'." Of the achingly beautiful title track, all Lucinda will say is — "I worked on that song for a long time. It's about a couple of people who

committed suicide knowing that I was happy about it." Who would you most like to cover one of your songs? "Oh Bob Dylan, Neil

Young ..." Are you a very prolific songwriter? ■ "Ahhhh, prolific? No . . . no."

Indeed the album's single 'Six Blocks Away' dates back to 1978 and 'Something About What Happens When We Talk' to 1985 and originallyappeared on the B side of the 'Passionate Kisses' single in a (rather splendid) acoustic version. Of the four year gap between Lucinda Williams and Sweet Old World all Lucinda will say is that "there were a lot of record company hassles. I wanted to get off RCA ... I don't really want to talk about that."

Regarding the positive critical reaction ot her albums she

says simply — "If I'd sold as many records as I've had critical reviews I'd've sold a lot of records."

She has toured with Roseanne Cash and Mary Chapin Carpenter, both of whom have achieved considerable praise from the normally conservative country fraternity — something which doesn't interest Lucinda in the slightest — "I mean country radio is still really backward. I'll never sound like that—why bother?"

Unlike her much talked of last visit Lucinda is this time bringing a full band with her, including distinctive guitarist and co-producer of Sweet Old World Gurf Morlix. Coupled with support act Jimmy Lafave whose album Austin Skyline is receiving extraordinary praise worldwide, it is shaping up to be an unforgettable evening.

GREG FLEMING