CAR WHEELS DOWN A GRAVEL ROAD CHURNED UP SOME CLASSIC AMERICAN COUNTRY FUSION

https://youtu.be/pbsoFDUoOrM?si=5FZLI3KKOLBqY8-v

It often crosses my mind on here that I don't make a habit of writing about female musicians, not that I am sexist or have any idea that there ain`t a lot of damn good girl rockers and pop starlets in the world, but based on my personal tastes, most music from across the gender divide which I rate as good or excellent isn`t what you would call a lost treasure or obscurity. 

I admire plenty of girl singers, but most of the time they`re ones who do enjoy mainstream commercial success.

I don't mind a bit of country, especially the variety with some rock or american roots added to the mix, and one release from 1998 really does take my fancy, the perfect execution of country/roots fusion. 

Talking about Lucinda Williams and her definitive album CAR WHEELS ON A GRAVEL ROAD. 

Williams is renowned for her blase, casual and detached style of vocal delivery, like she is in no rush to do anything and on an extended holiday. 

She was joined by a crack team of gritty R&B styled country roadies for this classic fusion release, notably Buddy Miller, Gurf Morlix, Dr. John Ciambotti on bass, Donald Lindley on drums with Steve Earl featuring as a guest artist on six of the tracks, playing guitar, acoustic guitar and harmonica at various times. 

It really is the same format as what you would expect from Kevin Welch or Kieren Kane, true blue country songs but contorted by alternative folk experimentation with the typical themes of drinking in pubs, the consequences of fleeting one night stands and dealing with the isolation of living among the rural heartland of america, among many others. 

The album essentially is an amalgam of blues, acoustic folk with a good dose of bar room honky tonk, I did steal that description from the liner notes I have to admit but that`s exactly how I would describe it myself. 

The commercial success of CAR WHEELS was a just reward for Williamsbwho had been trying to make it big ever since the 70`s but never quite had.

The songs which particularly stand out are the exceptional title track, I LOST IT, which I rate as most probaly the most gritty and grainy country fusion song ever recorded, DRUNKEN ANGEL, RIGHT IN TIME and I like the overly simple METAL FIRECRACKER personally, she even mentions how she listened to ZZ Top in the lyrics of this song, eluding to some classic rock that inspired her. 

All the songs on here are good really, I am only mentioning the ones which I play more than the others. CAR WHEELS ON A GRAVEL ROAD is freely available, it was a rip roaring commercial success, but in Australia anyway, it remains grossly underrated.