Honeysuckle Switches: The Songs of Lucinda Williams – Amos Lee
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Amos Lee has been one of my favorite singer/songwriters since I saw him open for Bob Dylan back in 2007. After Lee released his 2022 album Dreamland, one of my favorites that year, he revisited his songwriting hero Lucinda Williams – the musician he describes as “unapologetically sincere” and “a spiritual guide for me.” Lee now pays homage to Williams with a full album of eleven covers from her songbook – Honeysuckle Switches: The Songs of Lucinda Williams. Lee became a fan of Williams as a teenager in Philadelphia, discovering her music on the radio. They would meet in person years later and collaborated on “Clear Blue Eyes,” a song from Lee’s 2011 album Mission Bell.
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– More of this review
– Music News
– Song of the Week Lyrics~ “Not to Us (One Name Forever Shall Be Praised)” by Matt Boswell and Matt Papa, featuring Matt Redman
Honeysuckle Switches is Lee’s second recent covers album. Late in 2022, Lee released My Ideal: A Tribute to Chet Baker Sings, a tribute to the jazz musician, another of Lee’s musical heroes. A new album of original music is due in 2024, which will feature a few songs he sang on his recent solo tour, which made a local stop.
Lee has said that Williams’ songs have provided a steady source of inspiration for his own songwriting. He has returned to her songbook repeatedly as he has reckoned with grief over the last year, saying she “embraces sadness but is never enveloped by it.” The songs included on the album were selected for how they made Lee feel, and because they made him feel.
The album was recorded at Lee’s home. His soulful performances are beautiful, with his tender and expressive vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, light percussion and backing vocals, but the real power is in letting Williams’ lyrics and melodies work their magic. Although I was not familiar with Williams’ music, I enjoyed Lee’s interpretation of these songs.
Favorite songs:
Get Right with God
Greenville
Little Angel, Little Brother
- Enjoy the new music video for “Faithfully” from TobyMac.
- Christ is Mine Forevermore. Here is the performance video for “Christ is Mine Forevermore” by CityAlight with Sandra McCracken. The song was performed at the Ryman Auditorium at the Sing! 23’ Conference in Nashville.
- Enjoy “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” (featuring Shane & Shane)
Our song of the week is “Not to Us (One Name Forever Shall Be Praised)”, written and performed by Matt Boswell, Matt Papa and Matt Redman. The song is based on Psalm 115. Watch the song being performed at the 2023 Sing! Conference in Nashville.
Not to us, oh Lord
Not to us, oh Lord
But unto Your name be the glory
From the dawn of time to its setting sun
The name of the Lord shall be praised
One song will ring through the ages
One throne will ever remain
This world will pass and its glories fade
One name forever shall be praised
While the nations rage trusting idols vain
Our God stands alone in the heavens
Robed in majesty hail the highest King
The name of the Lord shall be praised
One song will ring through the ages
One throne will ever remain
This world will pass and its glories fade
One name forever shall be praised
One name forever shall be praised
May Your face be set, may Your blessing rest
Upon us Your people beloved
Mark us by Your grace that the world would say
“The name of the Lord shall be praised!”
One throne will ever remain
This world will pass and its glories fade
One name forever shall be praised
One song will ring through the ages
One throne will ever remain
This world will pass and its glories fade
One name forever shall be praised
One name forever shall be praised
One name forever shall be praised
