On Lucinda Williams new protest album “Worlds Gone Wrong” she doesn’t offer answers to the troubles she’s singing about but let’s us know that we are not alone in our outrage. Her uncompromising stance and urgency have never been so welcome to hear as she confronts America’s political turmoil.
The seventy three year old’s voice is sounding as raspy as ever but also strong in it’s confrontational style. She doesn’t let the anger of her feelings for the subject matter overcome she and her crack band’s performance.
She sings blues, rock, gospel and Americana in these songs even adding a little reggae with her version of a prophetic Bob Marley song where she collaborates with another vocal icon, Mavis Staples.
As always, she comes back to the theme of finding grace and beauty in the world even as she rails against society’s assault on freedom. “Worlds Gone Wrong” is the most inspiringly thematic album of her storied career.