For her twelfth album Lucinda Williams brings us inside her life. She is an older woman working in the music industry and not aspiring to be cool like Rihanna, fun like Katy Perry or edgy like Lorde. This is a woman who has gone through plenty in her life and all that experience goes into her music. It is like listening to her autobiography. There is an honesty and rawness to it all that will not be everyone’s cup of tea but for those who are looking for a little more depth in their music will enjoy The Ghosts of Highway 20. There are jazzy moments that are accentuated by her intense vocals. Vocals that become raspy and guttural in the songs “Doors of Heaven” and “Death Came”. These songs are her working out process in regards to her father’s death last year. That voice then moves on to become sexy and primal in the Woody Guthrie song, “House of Earth”. Like any good artist her body and voice become the vehicle to tell the story of the songs she is singing. Her phrasing is paramount. It is wonderful to listen to as it is more like you experience the songs. Guitarist Bill Frisell adds plenty to whole thing. They really are true partners on the recording. Alt-country mixed with jazz has never sounded so great. Crank it up, pour yourself a drink and enjoy it all.
