Published on Oct 21, 2003
Although there are only about two months left in 2003, it would
be hard to imagine another album beating out Lucinda Williams’
World Without Tears for the title of “Most Misunderstood
Album of the Year.”
One who has even a remote knowledge of Williams’ music or even
the alt-country genre will likely wonder what the fuss is about
after a single listen of
World Without Tears. It’s the logical meshing her
award-winning
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road and the starker, more intimate
fan favorite
Essence
. However, never underestimate how critics can undermine an
album, especially misinformed critics. Karen Schoemer, of “Rolling
Stone,” gave the album a three-star review and basically criticized
the album for being too depressing. She also stated the song
“Minneapolis” alluded to a rape. I’m all about people interpreting
songs in their own way, but when you make that sort of statement
about that severe of a crime in a magazine as prominent as “Rolling
Stone,” you better be right. Scanning the lyrics, “Minneapolis”
seems more about the abandonment of a relationship than a sex
crime.
Other critics and even fans slammed Williams for her attempt at
“rap” in songs like “Sweet Side” and “Atonement.” The only thing
remotely resembling rap is Williams’ spoken-word delivery. However,
a fan of traditional country and alt-country will tell you that
much of early country music was primarily sung in stark,
spoken-word delivery.
Petty, ignorant gripes aside,
World Without Tears is Williams’ most balanced work yet.
It’s more varied than
Essence, contains considerably less studio gloss than
Car Wheels and is more lyrically and musically accomplished
than
Sweet Old World and her self-titled album. The only major
fault is that while
Tears may be her most consistent work, it doesn’t achieve
the artistic heights like the best songs on
Essence and
Car Wheels do.
Not that
World Without Tears doesn’t try. “Righteously” has a sultry,
sexy groove to it. In “Atonement,” Williams’ unleashes a gutteral
growl that would make Beavis proud. And in “Sweet Side,” Williams
neither excuses or victimizes a man who has survived child abuse to
become a flawed adult: “You’re tough as steel and you keep your
chin up/You don’t ever feel like you’re good enough,” “You get
defensive at every turn/You’re overly sensitive and overly
concerned.” It’s one of the most complex and affecting character
sketches in recent memory.
Breakups have always been a favorite subject of Williams and
World Without Tears is full of breakup stories. But with
Tears, Williams has never sounded so expressive in her pain;
through swampy blues (“Atonement”), straightforward rock (“Real
Live Bleeding Fingers an Broken Guitar Strings”) and simple
acoustic beauty (“Words Fell”). But nothing on
World Without Tears sounds like Williams deliberately trying
to hit all genres. She has made her masterpiece and her
confessional album.
World Without Tears sounds like the work of an artist with
nothing else to prove.