Time Ain't Accidental
Time Ain't Accidental is the fifth studio album by American indie folk singer-songwriter Jess Williamson, released on June 9, 2023 by Mexican Summer. The album has received positive reviews.
Reception
In Exclaim!, Dylan Barnabe gave this album a 7 out of 10, for being "filled with minimalist modern country ballads that gently dissolve like a sugar cube on your tongue". At The Line of Best Fit, Sam Franzini gave Time Ain't Accidental a 9 out of 10, stating that Williamson's songwriting is "consistently the most rewarding part of listening to the record, followed only by her delightfully country twang that comes out when pronouncing certain words". Victoria Segal of Mojo gave this release 4 out of 5 stars, writing that "her lyrical skills allow her to steer the record off Americana’s more clogged highways". Shaad D’Souza of Pitchfork rated this release 8.0 out of 10, writing that it "doesn’t sound like many recent indie-country records... it’s an open, breezy record, often pared back to just saxophone, a nonchalant beat, and Williamson’s voice" that has "a surprisingly versatile palette".| Outlet | Listing | Rank |
| BrooklynVegan | 13 Great Country Albums from 2023 | |
| Gorilla vs. Bear | Gorilla vs. Bear’s Albums of 2023 | 30 |
| Paste | The 50 Best Albums of 2023 | 43 |
| Paste | The 30 Best Country, Folk, and Americana Albums of 2023 | |
| Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2023 | 44 |
| Pitchfork | The 37 Best Rock Albums of 2023 | |
| Qobuz | The Best Albums of 2023 | |
| The Ringer | The 27 Best Albums of 2023 | 16 |
| Slate | The best albums of 2023. | Runner-up |
| Stereogum | Best Country Albums Of 2023 | 1 |
| Under the Radar | Under the Radars Top 100 Albums of 2023 | 26 |
Track listing
All songs written by Jess Williamson.- "Time Ain’t Accidental" – 3:27
- "Hunter" – 3:49
- "Chasing Spirits" – 2:45
- "Tobacco Two Step" – 2:36
- "God in Everything" – 3:08
- "A Few Seasons" – 2:24
- "Topanga Two Step" – 3:59
- "Something’s in the Way" – 3:07
- "Stampede" – 2:52
- "I’d Come to Your Call" – 3:29
- "Roads" – 4:49
Personnel
- Jess Williamson – acoustic guitar, piano, vocals, drum programming, photography
- Brad Cook – acoustic and electric guitar, piano, Wurlitzer, organ, synthesizers, bass guitar, synth bass, drum programming, backing vocals, engineering, [Audio Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing (recorded music)|mixing], production
- Phil Cook – banjo, dobro, acoustic guitar, piano, Wurlitzer, organ
- Matt Douglas – tenor saxophone, clarinet, baritone saxophone
- Deshawn Hickman – steel guitar
- Heba Kadry – mastering in New York City, New York, United States
- Mike Krol – cover photography retouching
- Matt McCaughan – acoustic drums, percussion, modular synth, drum programming
- Gerard "Jerry" Ordonez – engineering
- Alex Tults – layout, design
- Paul Voran – engineering, mixing
- Samuel Walker – cover photography