Lucinda Williams relies on her road band, Buick 6, from the false start of “Real Love” that kicks off Little Honey to the final gospel-blues assault on AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top” that tucks it away. Wit this tour-tested chemistry behind her, Williams delivers the voice of experience, offering advice to a self-destructive “Little Rock Star,” embracing the security and simplicity of live in a world gone to way in “Plan to Marry,” and holding tight to her integrity in a business desperate for the almighty buck in the brass-enhanced, spooked-organ arrangement of the 9-minute epic “Rarity.” Her voice is the perfect instrument – charred, broken, weather in all the right places, the sound of a country-blueswoman who has spent years on the road. Only her duet with Elvis Costello on “Jailhouse Tears” sounds forced, as EC’s bluster turns emotion into self-parody.

Music: FOUR (out of five) STARS

Sound: FOUR (out of five) STARS

Lucinda Williams’s West, in 2007, was a stunning effort, her strongest in nearly a decade. Yet it was an emotional downslide, and its cathartic declarations of unrequited love no doubt took their toll in the ensuing months onstage. At some point, she must have longed for a way to kick things into high gear. Little Honey (Lost Highway) fills just that void and, happily, finds Williams in a better place; she hasn’t sounded this content—or ebullient, even—since 1988’s “Passionate Kisses.” If the upbeat nature of the album’s single, “Real Love,” comes as a surprise, wait until you hear the ferocious “Honey Bee,” her hardest-rocking love song ever. There’s much to like here: the down-home “Heaven Blues,” a paean to self-destructive types in “Little Rock Star,” a fun country duet with Elvis Costello, and yes, a few melancholic gems (“If Wishes Were Horses,” “Plan to Marry”). Williams’s newfound optimism does take some getting used to, however; where this solid release leaves the “pain equals art” argument depends on whether or not you think an album of hers should include an AC/DC cover.

How good was Lucinda Williams' performance Friday night at the Wiltern?

Crazy good. And sane good, sexy good, playful good, anguished good, angry good, cathartic good, brawny good, rockin' good, bluesy good -- head, heart and soul good.

Above all, the Louisiana-born singer-songwriter revels in the music of the soul, and judging from the remarkably rich litany of songs she's written over the last three decades, she's got one of the saddest-sweetest ones ever passed out.

The delightful thing about her new album, "Little Honey," is the way she's allowed the sun to come beaming through the dark spaces of the human experience.

No doubt that has something to do with her relationship with album co-producer and fiancé Tom Overby, whom she seemed to celebrate in several of the new songs in Friday's set, including "Real Love," "Tears of Joy" and "Honey Bee."

One of the hallmarks of Williams' talent is the multi-dimensionality of those songs. "Real Love" could indeed be viewed as an ode to a long-sought-after soul mate:

It can also be read as the confession of a woman who, having established a profound connection with another human spirit, has fully embraced herself and her musical calling.

She is assisted mightily in that calling on the album and at Friday's performance by her backing band, Buick 6, a quartet that recently put out an album of instrumentals and offered up its own invigorating 35-minute opening set. Guitarists Doug Pettibone and Chet Lyster provide Williams the kind of double-barreled attack Keith Richards and Ron Wood give the Stones, a rock-country-blues muscle she exploited in the resigned-to-fate two-step "Well Well Well" and the earthily sensual rocker "Honey Bee."

After last year's tour, when she played five studio albums in their entirety, Williams may have felt liberated to focus on the freewheeling newer stuff. But she did cherry-pick through her catalog -- performing songs including "Can't Let Go," "I Lost It" and "Joy" from her 1998 breakthrough "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" album, the title track from 2001's minimalist workout "Essence" and the bawdy "Come On" from last year's "West."

"Come On" is built on a stinging play on words directed at an ex, but Williams, her voice ever fuller, darker and grittier as the years go by, used it to chart a path out of anger and into emotional release. The band supplied the controlled burn of Crazy Horse at its most urgent, emphasizing focused power, not bombast.

She took Neil Young-like rock-infused blues to a soul-deep place that seemed to let loose her inner Etta James. It's long been debated whether a white man can truly sing the blues, but Williams left no doubt that this white woman feels the blues down to her marrow.

Having moved back to L.A. after years in Nashville, Williams tapped a couple of Southland music scene veterans, Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs, for harmonies on "Little Honey" that they recreated at the Wiltern, adding to the cozy, hometown feel of the 100-minute show.

She ended with "It's a Long Way to the Top," the song that also closes "Little Honey" on a note of both celebration and warning to anyone who aspires to scale a peak. She dedicated it to President-elect Barack Obama with the authority of one who's been to the top and bottom of the mountain, and who's entirely cognizant of what she's gained every step of the way.

Beginning her two-night run at the tight downtown Seattle venue Showbox at the Market, Lucinda Williams was pert, poignant, and a powerhouse of rock 'n' roll.

And a picture of contentment all evening long.

Though dressed demurely in plain brown slacks, light blouse, and dark vest, Williams quickly showed she was revved and ready: "It's a refreshing treat to be playing a rock club!" The audience yelped their approval.

Williams started off the night strong, sober, and full of gentle sway as she belted out the dreamy but definitive tune "Rescue" from her "West" album. "He can't save you from the plain and simple truth; the waning winters of your youth," she sang at her raspy best.

The concert was dominated by scintillating rock, interspaced with her traditionally satisfying alt-country palette. With "Ventura," a country-folk ballad from "World Without Tears," Williams displayed her trademark soul searching.

She prefaced "Circles and X's" — from her latest album "Little Honey" — saying, "This song sat around for 20 years. ... It still survives."

The first singalong commenced when Williams sang the familiar "I Lost It," a tune of hopeful discovery, from the grammy-winning "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road."

Like many singer-songwriters, Williams' compositions begin with autobiography, and her Showbox set list was filled with ballads and alt-country turns like "Tears of Joy," "Right In Time" and "Real Love."

But the most persistent audience cry of the concert was "Let's rock 'n' roll!," and "Out of Touch," a seminal jewel of a rocker, found Williams quite primed to rock out. "Out of Touch" transformed the performance, inducing an avalanche of overhead clapping, whooping and vigorous head bobbing.

From here to the end of the nearly two-hour set, Williams let go with a vengeance, as she and her four-member backup band, Buick 6, produced some qualitatively feverish, sizzling and hall-shaking rock.

She satisfied the audience with an electric encore of "For What It's Worth," the Buffalo Springfield '60s anthem, which became yet another singalong, and a fitting end to the lovefest between Williams and her Showbox crowd.

On her new album, Little Honey, it seems Williams has arrived at a new place. Critics are calling it her first "happy" album, but the singer says it's not so simple.

"I think there's this sense that I'm having a good time," she says. "The band's having a good time."

....CLICK HERE to continue reading as well as listen to Lucinda on All Things Considered.

Lucinda Williams is the first official "country" artist that we’ve featured thus far in our "On The Download" column here at AccessHollywood.com, and what more credible artist could we suggest to you?

If you haven’t heard of Lucinda, you’re not alone – she’s no Carrie Underwood or Keith Urban, in terms of mass-market appeal.

But in terms of talent, for over 30 years this three-time Grammy Award-winner has been at the top of her game. She’s always reminded me as a Southern version of Rickie Lee Jones or Stevie Nicks.

I was first introduced to her music in 2003, through her album "World Without Tears" – her song "Righteously" from this disc remains one of my all-time favorite singles.

Now, the Louisiana-born Lucinda has just released her ninth studio album, "Little Honey," which for me, is every bit as strong as what many consider her magnum opus; 1998’s "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road."

This album is more rock n’ roll than any of her previous work that I’ve listened to, as evidenced in the opening track, "Real Love," which is much more Austin than Nashville.

Not to be missed is her duet with Elvis Costello on "Jailhouse Tears" – the twang in her voice when she drawls out the word "Teeeeaarrrsss" is classic Lucinda.

It’s emotional and narrative – this single sung word alone tells a whole story in and of itself.

But the most amazing thing about Lucinda is that it’s impossible to classify her music – you can’t call it just country, or rock ‘n’ roll, or R&B – it’s none… and yet, it’s all.

If you’re a music fan who’s scared of the word "Country" (like me!), Lucinda is a very comfortable introduction.

Except, of course, for those who have already long been in the know!

It's hard to believe Williams took a six-year break between albums in the '90s. Since 1998 she has reliably been releasing strong, often heartbreaking discs with seemingly effortless ease.

Little Honey continues the string, with the proviso that Williams has now found happiness in her life. Despite the occasional downer like If Wishes Were Horses, we get no song as soul-numbing as the brilliant, savagely depressing Everything Has Changed from the album West. But maybe a little break is needed anyway.

The album is full of great lyrics and vocals, highlighted by the duet with Elvis Costello on Jailhouse Tears. Williams continues to distinguish herself as one of the most important writers in modern music. The cover of AC/DC's It's a Long Way to the Top just adds to the fun.


Grade: A-