Willie Nelson Album: “It Always Will Be”

When I heard Willie'd covered Tom Waits's "Picture in a Frame," and this was Willie's best CD since Teatro, I started getting excited for this cd. Willie's great, but, let's face it, not all of his CDs are great all the way through. Red-headed Stranger, Teatro - those are great all the way through. And this one? Well, it may not be a masterpiece, but it's quite an excellent album, from start to finish.

Just knowing that he'd covered "Picture in a Frame," I could hear in my head what he'd do, and I was pretty close in my imagination. Willie's got that special something that can't be mistaken. And that's why a "great" Willie Nelson album is better than a "great" album by another artist. I simply cannot imagine a Willie Nelson fan being disappointed by this cd.

(An interesting side-note: The back of the cd case has printed rather largely at the bottom not only an FBI warning, but an "DBI anti-Piracy" stamp symbol. Is it just me, or isn't Willie a pot-smoking outlaw? Is the prominent FBI stamp a marker of strange bedfellows, or is Willie saying, "Here's the FBI stamp - no do whatever you want anyway, just like I do!")

(And a final sidenote: The album cover is a rather stunning photograph of the legend with his guitar. One of the great album covers of the past five years or more.)

This review is written by a fellow from the suburbs and urban regions of New York City, not exactly a bastion of Country and Western music. But let me give credit where credit is due: "It Always Will Be" is a stunning album. I mostly remember Willie from his outlaw days with Waylon Jennings over twenty years ago and occasionally hear in the news that he is still active in Farm-Aid. I recently have become exposed to Americana Country music through a Texas radio station on the Web called KHYI and have found myself profoundly impressed by what I have heard. The schlock mass-market "country" of Shania Twain and the like is not the only country music out there, much to my great relief! KHYI has been playing several songs from this album since it came out at the end of 2004 centered around the very humorous "Big Booty" cut about a "large" girlfriend giving her "skinny" boyfriend the boot. It has sent my toes a tapping everytime I hear it. They also play a true new Willie classic on par with anything he has ever done in the form of the title cut "It Always Will Be". This slow ballad will raise goosebumps the size of golfballs on your skin listening to his lyrics, guitaring, and delivery. It doesn't get much better than this in any form of music. "I Didn't Come Here (And I Ain't Leavin')" is a heroic honky-tonk crowd pleaser while "Midnight Rider" does the same with more of a rock and roll pace with help from Toby Keith. There are also three duets on here with Paula Nelson, Norah Jones, and Lucinda Williams that are intimate, small setting lounge classics. Jazz and true country never sounded better. This CD runs 52 minutes long over 14 songs and there truly is not a single weak cut on it. Willie has put several exclamation points near the end of his long career with this album. It is not getting near as much airplay as it should due to Nashville's dislike for anything that does not originate with it's "good tastes", ie. Americana Texas based Country (and WESTERN!). Amazon has clips from all 14 cuts from this album above so, give a few listens if you are not sure. This truly is one of the best albums so far of the 21st Century.

Willie Nelson and George Strait have one thing in common, musically speaking, everything they touch turns to gold. This album in no way is a departure from that statement. Honestly, what can one say about a Willie Nelson album that hasn't already been said. Great, Wonderful, Terrific, Classic, Masterpiece. The list goes on. This album will not dissappoint any fan of the man in pig tails.

Of all of Nelson's album covers, none has expressed the contents so perfectly as the cover of "It Always Will Be." Willie's strong, handsome profile, the hard-earned lines on his face, his hand's loving caress on his guitar--the softness and sharp edges and warm light and deep shadows. Nelson has released many albums that serve as landmarks of American music--Red-Headed Stranger tops a long list--but none feel quite as personal to me as this gem. I get a sense of a man who has much more living to do, but has taken time to look back down the road and give us a sense of where he's been. The joys and romps and fears, triumphs and troubles--the achingly beautiful title track bookended by the rascally Midnight Rider: yes, Willie has been a lot of places, has had a lot of fun and endured a bit of pain, but the masterful simplicity of the music and strength in his voice show that he's a man who's learned a thing or two about himself and the world, and has many miles yet to go.

"It Always Will Be" is the CD right toward the top Willie's career thus far and the title song is just perfect for his voice. The title track is a classic Willie Nelson ballad in the tradition of some of his greatest tunes of the past and is sure to join them. This ballad will probably become his second most famous song. When he sings a ballad you can feel the emotion come through the speakers and fill the room. You know he wrote the song from personal experience and his singing tells us he wishes to share that experience with us. He has shown us his talent is still in top form. This free spirited American Icon seems to have a great CD on his hands. I recommend it.