Amazon.com: For better and for worse, this trans-generational pairing of Willie Nelson and producer Ryan Adams takes the veteran into musical territory where he wouldn't have likely ventured on his own. There's long been an organic unity to Nelson's signature sound--the way his conversational phrasing plays against the staccato runs of his gypsy guitar, with the backing of a band that's been with him so long he calls them Family. On Songbird, Adams substitutes the more aggressively electric backing of his own band, the Cardinals, and plainly had a large say in selecting and arranging the material. Two highlights that most bear his imprint are "Blue Hotel," which Adams wrote for the project and with which Nelson plainly connects, and the bluesy, ominous arrangement by Adams of the closing "Amazing Grace," which sounds closer to "House of the Rising Sun." At the other extreme, Nelson's lumbering take on the Grateful Dead's "Stella Blue," which culminates in an electric squall, sounds like the kind of music Willie would rather not listen to, let alone make. And the hard-edged riffing on "$1000 Wedding" practically bludgeons the Gram Parsons song to death. While the three Nelson originals (two old, one new) all work fine, the rest is hit (Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah") and miss (the title cut, by Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie). It has been said that Nelson can sing just about anything--which doesn't necessarily mean that he should. --Don McLeese
And this sold???? I've had this CD for a while and just got around to playing it. I've alway's like Willie, but now, not too sure. The Band was too loud and overshadowed Nelson, and Willie sounded like was either in agony, or sitting in the 5th row back enjoying a bottle of Jim Beam. His tone was bad, his pitch seemed way off and I had trouble trying to understand the words, slurred???
The CD is going into the trash can.
Old World Country Meets The New With Both Good and Slightly Iffy Results! One other reviewer commented on the lack of writing credits on this title - and I agree! It's astonishing that there isn't any - nor even a booklet supplied. The CD is housed in a card gatefold digipak and the inner flap lists production credits (Ryan Adams) and recording venues, a list of the band who played on it (The Cardinals) and some other minor details on additional participants - and that's it! No lyrics! No idea of who wrote what or why!
In order to straighten this out, the following should help:
1. Rainy Day Blues (Willie Nelson) 2. Songbird (Fleetwood Mac cover, originally on Rumours (1977) but also closely associated with Eva Cassidy) 3. Blue Hotel (written by Ryan Adams, a STUNNER, played live with the Cardinals on the recent BBC Sessions) 4. Back To Earth (Willie Nelson) 5. Stella Blue (a Grateful Dead cover) 6. Hallelujah (a Leonard Cohen cover, also closely associated with Jeff Buckley who covered it too) 7. $1000 Wedding (a Gram Parsons cover) 8. We Don't Run (Willie Nelson) 9. Yours Love (Willie Nelson) 10. Sad Songs & Waltzes (Willie Nelson) 11. Amazing Grace (the Traditional Gospel song covered a la "House Of The Rising Sun" style)
I must admit that I initially bought this solely for the "Blue Hotel" track by Ryan Adams, which was played live by Adams with The Cardinals on the recent TV aired BBC Sessions. The song brought a rousing cheer from the audience - most knowing they hadn't heard it before - and absolutely loving it. It's similar to "Everything I Do" by WHISKEYTOWN and has a melody and lyrics that hook you instantly. It's sloppy like FACES love songs are! A classic in the making!
Special praise should also go out to Adams for his 'live in the studio' production, which adds life and vitality to all the songs and makes them feel so 'of the moment'. And praise too to The Cardinals as the house band - who play an absolute storm on all tracks and like Rick Ruben with Johnny Cash & Tom Petty's Heartbreakers - seem to be kindred spirits that produce magic when they get it right. But not all of it is right.
Nelson's cover of 'Songbird" is excellent, tender yet gruff in that way of his. But his cover of "Stella Blue" just feels too loose - shambolic almost. And his new Englishified Animals version of "Amazing Grace" has been called genius and travesty in equal measure. I'd say it's a little of both - and for me - a collector of the song - it's an acquired taste. I once did a CD-R of 18 different versions of "Amazing Grace". It takes a lot to butcher this impossibly beautiful song and I'm afraid our Willie gets too damn close!
In truth, I did find some of his own songs disappointing, where Nelson just seems to be coasting. The whole project seems hurried too - or incomplete somehow. To sum up, it's a good album - very good indeed in certain places, but it's just that you can't help but feel, that with a little more thought and better song choices - it could have been a truly great one. But then I play "Blue Hotel" again...and I'm reaching for the adjectives and looking forward to the next installment! Definitely worth your investigation.
I'm off to explore more of Nelson's recent work.
Total Rock Give this 7 listens. Most of Ryan Adams work requires up to 7 listens before he gets you...and then forget about it. You'll be hooked. But don't worry, he has plenty of research for you thanks to his prolificality.
Songbird is a great new sound for Willie Nelson as well. For the old fans let go of your tartar sauce and let Willie expand your mind as he is probably expanding his as we speak...or at least as we read. So some of the sounds are a little new for you, tell you what: giddy-up the RV, lock this disc in position for non-stop play and listen to it til you get to Canada*. If you still don't like it, throw the disc out the window...and then just try to get the songs out of yer head!
*this assumes you are above the mason-dixon line.
Kick it off if you're ready. This Willie Nelson album was released on Halloween, 2006. It was produced by Ryan Adams and features Adams and his band, The Cardinals. The music has an alt-county feel to it, not surprisingly. I like the album quite a bit, and was surprised to see several negative reviews of it. I suppose that means it's not for everyone's taste, but the same thing can be said for any album, can't it? Perhaps the negativity comes from Willie Nelson fans who don't appreciate the Ryan Adams influence on the album, or Ryan Adams fans who don't appreciate Willie's singing. Well, regardless of what the naysayers think, I like it. I especially like "Songbird", "Hallelujah" and "We Don't Run"; not that my opinion counts for more than anybody else's opinion. You shouldn't listen to me anyway, you should make up your own mind.
Songbird The product is what I expected. It arrived on time and in the condition advertised.
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