Lucinda Williams has travelled the hard road at times, and her spare and pained music has reflected that journey. Essence, however, is a more soulful and relaxed affair, and while it still has some testosterone twang in its make-up, it can hardly be described as a “country” album. It’s scope is far broader than that, closer to the cosmic American music that Gram Parsons talked about.

Some of those who played on her last album are back, and in a more dominant role this time out; what’s more, guitarists Bo Ramsey and Charlie Sexton are involved in production duties, and the whole shebang seems to have had a less traumatic and mellower passage for all concerned on this occasion – a fact which is reflected in the looser groove apparent over the whole album.

The songs deal with topics that are both highly pertinent and pervasive, such as communication or the lack of it in the information age (‘Out Of Touch’); loneliness, (‘Lonely Girls’); religion and fundamentalism (‘Get Right With God’); nostalgia (‘Bus To Baton Rouge’) and passion, on the dynamic, funky title track. All are undeniably Williams, her voice instantly recognisable, a focal point that has never sounded better in her long career.

She’s a great songwriter and a fine artist – and Essence is a major achievement. Essential listening.