Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart
| Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 30, 2023 | |||
| Genre | Rock, Americana | |||
| Length | 49:12 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Lucinda Williams chronology | ||||
| ||||
Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart is the 15th studio album by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. It was released on June 30, 2023, by Highway 20 Records with distribution by Thirty Tigers.
The album was announced on April 4, 2023, simultaneously with the release of its lead single "New York Comeback", which features Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa on backing vocals.[1] The second single, "Stolen Moments", was released on April 21, 2023.[2] A third single, "Where the Song Will Find Me", was released on May 26, 2023.[3]
Critical reception[edit]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.6/10[4] |
| Metacritic | 79/100[5] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [6] |
| American Songwriter | [7] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[8] |
| Pitchfork | 7.7/10[9] |
| Slant Magazine | [10] |
Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart received a score of 79 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic from 14 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[5] AnyDecentMusic? sums up critical consensus as an 7.5 out of 10, with ten reviews.[4] Classic Rock wrote that the album "is all heart, the camaraderie is immense, and Williams assures listeners that's it's not dark yet", and Uncut remarked that there is "little on her 16th album to suggest it's anything other than business as usual".[5] Dylan Barnabe of Exclaim! called the album "all heart" and opined that "Williams not only makes her triumphant return but also showcases the true spirit of rock 'n' roll" and "her perseverance in the face of adversity is truly inspiring, and these stories are tales to live by".[8] Hal Horowitz of American Songwriter stated: "These stories resonate with strength and an irrepressible spirit few other artists can summon. Williams' ability to persevere over issues that would sideline lesser talents and create music this impressive is a testament to the vitality of her rock 'n' roll heart."[7]
AllMusic's Mark Deming gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote: "Stories from a Rock 'n' Roll Heart isn't the triumphant return some might have hoped for, but for its flaws, it shows Williams hasn't lost her spark or her determination to create." He also singled out the tracks "Stolen Moments", "This Is Not My Town", and "Last Call for the Truth" as "soulful and evocative tales of bruised emotions and lives out of balance", and concluded "even when the songwriting is below Williams' average, her vocals are still a wondrous mix of toughness and fragility, and the album sounds great, with a superb studio band generating the right blend of rock 'n' roll swagger and bluesy loneliness."[6]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Let's Get the Band Back Together" |
| 4:42 |
| 2. | "New York Comeback" |
| 4:14 |
| 3. | "Last Call for the Truth" |
| 5:24 |
| 4. | "Jukebox" |
| 4:35 |
| 5. | "Stolen Moments" |
| 4:48 |
| 6. | "Rock n Roll Heart" |
| 3:48 |
| 7. | "This Is Not My Town" |
| 5:32 |
| 8. | "Hum's Liquor" |
| 4:07 |
| 9. | "Where the Song Will Find Me" |
| 6:34 |
| 10. | "Never Gonna Fade Away" |
| 5:23 |
| Total length: | 49:12 | ||
Personnel[edit]
- Lucinda Williams – composer, vocals, producer
- Steve Ferrone - drums
- Fred Eltringham - drums
- Will Sayles - drums
- Steve Mackie - bass
- Stuart Mathis – electric guitar
- Doug Pettibone - electric guitar, steel guitar
- Joshua Grange - electric guitar
- Derek Cruz - electric guitar
- Stuart Mathis - electric guitar
- Jim Oblon - electric guitar
- Reese Wynans - B3, piano, Vox Jaguar organ
- Rob Clores - piano
- Margo Price - tambourine, backing vocals
- Angel Olsen - backing vocals
- Jeremy Ivey - backing vocals
- Siobhan Maher Kennedy - backing vocals
- Buddy Miller - backing vocals
- Sophie Gault - backing vocals
- Bruce Springsteen - backing vocals
- Patti Scialfa - backing vocals
- Tommy Stinson - backing vocals
- Lawrence Rothman - arranged & recorded strings, horns, chamberlin and Novachord
- Daniel Bacigalupi – assistant
- Danny Clinch – photography
- Ray Kennedy – engineer, mixing, producer, tambourine, acoustic guitar, Vox Continental organ
- Colin Lott – assistant engineer
- Pete Lyman – mastering
- Jesse Malin – composer
- Tom Overby – composer, producer
- Phillip Smith – assistant engineer
- Travis Stephens – composer, acoustic guitar
- Andy West – design
Charts[edit]
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[11] | 57 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[12] | 26 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[13] | 36 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[14] | 9 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[15] | 60 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 35 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[17] | 65 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[18] | 5 |
| US Billboard 200[19] | 159 |
References[edit]
- ^ Hussey, Allison (April 4, 2023). "Lucinda Williams Announces Album, Shares New Song With Bruce Springsteen". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
- ^ Kahn, Andy (April 21, 2023). "Lucinda Williams Shares Tom Petty Tribute 'Stolen Moments'". JamBase. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (May 26, 2023). "Lucinda Williams Shares New Single "Where The Song Will Find Me": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
- ^ a b "Stories From a Rock 'n' Roll Heart by Lucinda Williams". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Stories From a Rock 'n' Roll Heart by Lucinda Williams Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Deming, Mark. "Stories from a Rock 'n' Roll Heart". AllMusic. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ a b Horowitz, Hal (June 28, 2023). "Review: Lucinda Williams: 'Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart'". American Songwriter. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ a b Barnabe, Dylan (June 28, 2023). "Lucinda Williams's Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart Are Tales to Live By". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ Greene, Jayson (July 7, 2023). "Lucinda Williams: Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ Williams, Tom (June 26, 2023). "Lucinda Williams 'Songs from a Rock n Roll Heart' Review". Slant Magazine. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Lucinda Williams – Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lucinda Williams – Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lucinda Williams – Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Top 100 Albums Weekly". El portal de Música. Promusicae. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Lucinda Williams – Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200..." Billboard on Twitter. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
