Critics are unanimously singing the praises of "Little Honey," the ninth studio album by alternative country queen Lucinda Williams, who was tabbed by Time magazine as "the best songwriter in America." The 13-song album was released Tuesday.

With suddenly plummeting gas prices, fans can afford to drive a little farther to see Williams. She is performing at 8 p.m. Sunday at The Pageant in St. Louis. Tickets are $25.

After writing "The Night's Too Long" for Patty Loveless and "Passionate Kisses" for Mary Chapin Carpenter, Williams exploded on the music scene with the Grammy Award-winning "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" in 1998.

Her repertoire of fan favorites includes "Essence," "Righteously," "Drunken Angel," "Come On," "Metal Firecracker," "Changed the Locks" and "Pineola." A majority of the new songs were left over from last year's "West" recording sessions, including the long-awaited release of "Jailhouse Tears," a duet with Elvis Costello.

In the past, Williams' desperate twang was soaked in the pain of love lost. The mood on the new album is more upbeat, sparked by the engagement of the 55-year-old singer to her manager Tom Overby. The title track from the album and the bluegrass-fueled "Well Well Well" are two of the many bright spots that are sure to leave fans completely satisfied.

- Vince Hoffard