SONGWRITERS SERIES

Four essential albums

After devoting her debut album to covers, Williams began showcasing her material in "Happy Woman Blues" in 1980, but her talent really took hold on these later albums.

May 23, 2004

After devoting her debut album to songs by Hank Williams, Robert Johnson and others, Williams began showcasing her material in "Happy Woman Blues" in 1980, but her talent really took hold on these later albums.

1. "Sweet Old World" 1992 (Chameleon). In the title number and such tunes as "Pineola," Williams mixes craftsmanship and passion. She doesn't just draw you into her world, but creates scenes so embracing that you drop your defenses and join her in a moment of shared sorrow.

2. "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" 1998 (Mercury). This album is a dazzling series of tales about emotional search, though her writing is so disciplined in places that it loses some of the intensity of her other CDs.

3. "Essence" 2001 (Lost Highway). Stepping away from the strict storytelling of "Car Wheels," Williams speaks more directly and, it would appear, more personally. Williams also trades in some of her earlier country, blues and folk strains for a touch of pop eloquence.

4. "World Without Tears" 2003 (Lost Highway). Williams tries on her rock 'n' roll shoes in the key moments of this frequently raw exercise. That brings a fresh spark to the songs, which continue to pursue the nakedly personal path of "Essence."

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