Essence (Lucinda Williams album)

Essence is Lucinda Williams' sixth album. It was released in 2001. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 28, selling about 44,500 copies in its first week.[1] According to Billboard as of February 2008, the album had sold 336,000 copies in the U.S.[2]

Essence
Studio album by
Lucinda Williams
ReleasedJune 5, 2001
GenreAmericana, alternative country
Length50:58
LabelLost Highway
ProducerBo Ramsey
Tom Tucker
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams chronology
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
(1998)		 Essence
(2001)		 World Without Tears
(2003)

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic82/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Blender[5]
Chicago Sun-Times[6]
Christgau's Consumer GuideA−[7]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[8]
Los Angeles Times[9]
Q[10]
Rolling Stone[11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[12]
Spin8/10[13]

Essence was highly anticipated coming after a three-year gap from her lauded Car Wheels on a Gravel Road and the critical reviews reflect that. Although positive, none rate the album as highly as her breakthrough. Robert Christgau, who raved about Car Wheels, called the album "imperfect" but still praised her artistry saying "[she] is too damn good to deny."[7] Reviewers noted the difference in tone between the two albums with Rolling Stone citing the "willful intimacy" of the music[11] while Spin contrasted its "halting, spare" presentation with Car Wheels "giddy, verbose" one.[13] In a review posted by Salon the album was called "an emotional mess of a masterpiece".[14] Q listed Essence as one of the best 50 albums of 2001.[15]

The album earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Williams won the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the track "Get Right With God" and was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the track "Essence".

Personnel on the album include Tony Garnier and Charlie Sexton, best known as part of Bob Dylan's live backing band at the time. The album also features session drummer Jim Keltner.

Track listing

All songs written by Lucinda Williams

  1. "Lonely Girls" – 4:01
  2. "Steal Your Love" – 3:14
  3. "I Envy the Wind" – 3:12
  4. "Blue" – 3:52
  5. "Out of Touch" – 5:25
  6. "Are You Down" – 5:24
  7. "Essence" – 5:50
  8. "Reason to Cry" – 3:39
  9. "Get Right with God" – 4:16
  10. "Bus to Baton Rouge" – 5:50
  11. "Broken Butterflies" – 5:41

Personnel

Additional musicians:

  • David Mansfield – viola
  • Ryan Adams – tremolo guitar ("Essence")
  • Gary Louris – background vocals ("Essence")
  • Joy Lynn White – background vocals ("Get Right With God", "Bus to Baton Rouge", "Broken Butterflies")
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References
  1. Martens, Todd (June 14, 2001). "Staind Fends Off Radiohead, St. Lunatics At No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
  2. Caulfield, Keith (February 8, 2008). "Ask Billboard: Williams' Wild 'West'". billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved 9 February 2008.
  3. "Reviews for Essence by Lucinda Williams". Metacritic. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  4. Deming, Mark. "Essence – Lucinda Williams". AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2005.
  5. "Lucinda Williams: Essence". Blender (1): 107. June–July 2001.
  6. Houlihan, Mary (June 10, 2001). "Lucinda Williams, 'Essence' (Lost Highway)". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on November 19, 2018. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  7. Christgau, Robert. "Lucinda Williams: Essence". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  8. Browne, David (June 8, 2001). "Essence". Entertainment Weekly (599): 74. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  9. Nichols, Natalie (June 3, 2001). "Rawer This Time Around". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  10. "Lucinda Williams: Essence". Q (178): 125. July 2001.
  11. Berger, Arion (May 24, 2001). "All the Small Things". Rolling Stone (869): 86. Archived from the original on March 4, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
  12. McGee, David; Miles, Milo (2004). "Lucinda Williams". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). London: Fireside Books. pp. 875–876. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  13. Weisbard, Eric (July 2001). "Lucinda Williams: Essence". Spin. 17 (7): 125. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  14. McLeese, Don (May 31, 2001). "Lucinda Williams' psychosexual murk". salon.com. Salon Media Group. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  15. "The Best 50 Albums of 2001". Q (185): 60–65. December 2001.
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