It’s not all that hard to find an artist who’s capable of offering a guided tour of life’s dark clouds – nor is it rare to come into contact with one who can hone in on the silver lining. But the ability to do both with equal grace, well, that’s an altogether rarer gift – and it’s one that Lucinda Williams displays with remarkable élan on her latest album, Blessed.  
 
Produced by Don Was, Blessed reveals the breadth of Williams' songwriting palette, wandering through aching pedal-steel numbers, a hail of angry guitars, and returning to her patented sultry bules and sassy sensuality.