Lucinda Wiilliams – Good Souls Better Angels

Label: Highway 20 Records

Release Date: April 24, 2020

Good Souls Better Angels is the definition of rock-solid blues. It also happens to be the most topical album of three time Grammy award winner Lucinda Williams’ career. It’s a collection of straight up, obstinate blues. The dangerous world we live in, the constant barrage of a frightening news cycle, depression, domestic abuse, a man without a soul – and, yep, the devil – figure prominently among its twelve tracks.

“The devil comes into play quite a bit on this album,” Williams says. “I’ve always loved the imagery in Robert Johnson songs and those really dark Delta blues that are sort of biblical. I was inspired by Leonard Cohen – he dealt with that in his songs – and Bob Dylan and Nick Cave.” On the album, Williams is backed by her remarkable, long time band, featuring Butch Norton (drums), Stuart Mathis (guitar) and David Sutton (bass).

While Good Souls Better Angels reflects many dark realities that surround us, the album is tied together with themes of perseverance, resilience and ultimately, hope. I’m not really a drinkin’ man, but if I were hearing these brutally honest tracks would relieve me of the pressure to do so. Healing blues at their best.