Sweet Old World by Lucinda Williams (CD, Aug-1992, Chameleon Music Group)

I had not heard many of the songs from this album before, but several are now among my favorites among the entire Lucinda Williams collection. My neighbours will be very sick of its high rotation since arriving. Well worth seeking out if you enjoy Lucinda's work of the later 90s to date - and a reminder that her voice was beautiful in a different way all those years ago.

I first heard one of the songs from this CD ("Which Will") in a live compilation CD by KCRW, here in Santa Monica. I fell in love with her soulful voice, and continue to love what I hear in her other albums. I owned this album on cassette, and recently bought the CD version for my iPod.

No one can sing with as much soul as Lucinda Williams. And her edge adds infinitely more interest than the average country singer. I am not normally a country fan, but hers are songs that even I can enjoy. They're thoughtful poems and ballads, with true characters and honest emotions.

Another of her better CDs (not that I've heard them all) was Essence. Get them both - you won't be disappointed!