I said a while ago that I thought it should be included in the 10 best alt-country albums of all time and the deluxe edition is even better.
It features the original album remastered and sounding crisper than ever, in addition, 3 songs have been found and added as bonus tracks - "Down The Big Road Blues", "(We Are So) Out Of Touch" - the first version later rerecorded with a different arrangement for the `Essence' album and "Still I Long For Your Kiss" - the Tony Brown produced version that was on `The Horse Whisperer' soundtrack.
Disc 2 features a previously unreleased concert from July, 1998, recorded by WXPN Radio - found and remastered.
Disc: 1
1. Right In Time
2. Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
3. 2 Kool 2 Be 4 Gotten
4. Drunken Angel
5. Concrete And Barbed Wire
6. Lake Charles
7. Can't Let Go
8. I Lost It
9. Metal Firecracker
10. Greenville
See all 16 tracks on this disc
Disc: 2
1. Pineola
2. Something About What Happens When We Talk
3. Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
4. Metal Firecracker
5. Right In Time
6. Drunken Angel
7. Greenville
8. Still I Long For Your Kiss
9. 2 Kool 2 Be 4 Gotten
10. Can't Let Go
See all 13 tracks on this disc
Amazon reviews it thus, giving 5 stars:
This 1998 Grammy-winning release--Lucinda Williams's popular breakthrough--certainly merits the double-disc "deluxe edition" treatment. And it's hard to find significant fault with anything here: the remastered version of the original album, the second-disc live performance from that year featuring guitarists Kenny Vaughn and Bo Ramsey, and the smattering of outtakes (highlighted by a slower, sadder version of "Out of Touch" than the one Williams ended up releasing). Yet the set misses a glorious opportunity to document one of the more laborious (and notorious) recording projects, one that saw Williams switch cities, studios, and producers three times before she was satisfied with the results. And while the results confirm her judgment, fans would likely find it fascinating to hear a lot more takes from the original Austin sessions (featuring accordion master Flaco Jimenez and keyboardist Ian McLagan) or outtakes from the Nashville sessions with producer Steve Earle, before Williams overhauled the project in Los Angeles with Springsteen keyboardist Roy Bittan. Such a set could have put a revelatory spotlight on the creative process that resulted in an album widely regarded as Williams's masterpiece; instead, this release is more like souvenir snapshots. --Don McLeese
TO WIN all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog with your email address and why you think you deserve a signed copy of Car Wheels On a Gravel Road. Good luck!
5 comments:
I've been a huge fan of Lu since seeing her open for Neil Young in 2003. She's got a song for every mood and a lyrical storytelling quality not seen since Elvis Costello. BTW - her "Wild Horses" cover with Elvis from CMT crossroads is one of my favorite covers. Need some more twang in NYC and Lu delivers!
I would like the CD because I am not a Lucinda Williams fan. In fact I can't even recall any of her songs. But wouldn't it be better to open my naive, ignorant eyes (or should that be ears?) to an album you obviously rate so highly than to preach her worth to the already converted - those who probably own the album anyway? The decision, as they said on Blind Date, is yours...
from Plus 1
P.S. I've not left my email account on this message board just in case it gets into the wrong hands. If that disqualifies me I will cry.
ok, if you don't want to leave your email address here, and I can understand why, then email aboutthemusicblog@googlemail.co.uk (a bit of a mouthful). Winner gets picked at random.
That email address should read:
aboutthemusicblog@gmail.com
Car Wheels is one of those albums which is too modest and understated to make any official Greatest Albums Ever lists. But I realized a while back it would definitely be in my top ten most enjoyable records. It's nourishing, satisfying music, and only gets better with time. I never tire of it.
Plus, I'm a nice person. Ask anyone. I'm kind to animals and I recycle my beer bottles.
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