Turning 70 is a time for reflection, and Lucinda Williams offers two takes. Her poetic autobiography recounts her troubled, peripatetic childhood and the tales behind the songs it inspired. Yet her new album leans into the future with a promise to keep on rocking.

The past few years while these projects came together have been tough for Lu. At the start of 2020, a tornado ripped through her new Nashville home, followed weeks later by the Covid lockdown. Then, in November ’20, she suffered a stroke, forcing her to learn to walk again and stealing her ability to play guitar. As she always wrote with a guitar in hand, she was forced to rely on help from her manager/husband Tom Overby, road manager Travis Stephens, and songwriter Jesse Malin. So, this album is also a celebratory return.

Perhaps surprisingly, the music is upbeat. She’s joined by the Boss and Patti Scialfa on the romping “New York Comeback” and “Rock N Roll Heart,” and on other cuts by Margo Price, Tommy Stinson, and Angel Olsen. Guitar work comes from longtime cohorts Stuart Mathis and Doug Pettibone with a gravelly blend of blues, country, and down-and-dirty rock. Plus, SRV sideman Reese Wynans adds B3 organ on seven cuts.

This article originally appeared in VG’s July 2023 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.