On November 17, 2020, Lucinda Williams suffered a stroke that left many of her fans worrying about the future of one of Americas best and most fearless songwriters. It didnt take long for Williams to regain her ability to sing, and the six albums in her Lus Jukebox series (intended to benefit artists and venues who lost their income during the COVID-19 pandemic) proved she was still in fine form as a performer. However, they were all devoted to covers, leaving open the question of her relationship with her songwriting muse. 2023s Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart is her first album of original material since her recovery, and comes two months after the publication of her memoirs, Dont Tell Anyone the Secrets I Told You. Williams co-produced Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart in tandem with engineer Ray Kennedy and Williams husband and frequent studio collaborator Tom Overby, and Overby also co-wrote these ten songs with Williams; most of the tracks also include contributions from Jesse Malin and/or Travis Stephens. Thematically, these songs dont always find Williams at her most inspired; "Lets Get the Band Back Together," "Rock n Roll Heart," and "Never Gonna Fade Away" are exactly what you expect them to be from the titles, and coming from one of Americas most perceptive lyricists, theyre frankly disappointing. "Jukebox" is a well-executed character study but its built from familiar materials, and "New York Comeback" is a tale where the parts dont fully come together (and Bruce Springsteens overwrought backing vocals on the latter dont help). All that said, the songs that do work, work very well, and "Stolen Moments," "This Is Not My Town," and "Last Call for the Truth" are soulful and evocative tales of bruised emotions and lives out of balance, and "Hums Liquor" is a heartbreaking narrative based on the last years of the Replacements Bob Stinson. (Adding to its impact are the backing vocals from his half-brother, Tommy Stinson.) 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 (including guitarists Stuart Mathis and Doug Pettibone and drummer Steve Ferrone) generating the right blend of rock & roll swagger and bluesy loneliness, all captured with warm clarity by Ray Kennedys engineering. Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart isnt the triumphant return some might have hoped for, but for its flaws, it shows Williams hasnt lost her spark or her determination to create. This may not be a great album, but it suggests she has it in her to make another great one somewhere down the line. ~ Mark Deming

Rovi