Album Reviews

Say what you will about the slick, commercial Nashville sound that’s evolved from the fine “countrypolitan” one developed by Chet Atkins and crew at RCA Studio B back in the ‘60’s, at least they still have great studios, skilled engineers and teams of tasty lick players in Music City, all of which are on display here.

Slick Willie, produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney is just as much fun as Booker T Tin Pan Alley Willie or self-produced Willie. The voice and presence are too big to be overwhelmed by the occasional overproduction and some odd A&R misfires.

Nelson nails Kristofferson’s wistful “Moment of Forever,” backed by a Tex-Mex chart featuring a wonderful acoustic guitar part played by John Willis and Mickey Raphael’s soft spoken harmonica, and he effectively covers Randy Newman’s eerily prescient “Lousiana.”

But Dylan’s one note “Gotta Serve Somebody” goes on too long, Dave Matthews’ “Gravedigger” is just plain wrong for Nelson misfires and Big Kenny’s “The Bob Song,” about not judging lest you be judged, or different strokes for different folks, or whatever is just plain weird.

Put a song in front of Willie Nelson and he’ll sing it for you and well, but that’s hardly the point. The opener, “Over You,” a Nelson original (written with his kids), starts the set off well, and his other originals, the reflective “It’s Always Now,” and the sly “You Don’t Think I’m Funny Anymore,” are equally effective at presenting the Willie Nelson everyone loves.

Chesney contributes the Hallmark-y “I’m Alive,” which Nelson the pro makes work, and the two team up for a lighthearted “Worry B Gone,” written by Guy Clark. Co-producer Buddy Cannon’s “When I Was Young and Grandma Wasn’t Old” is a thin bit of formulaic nostalgia, while the cover of Paul Craft’s

“Keep Me From Blowing Away” is, in Willie’s hands, an exquisite rendering of regret.

In other words, Moment of Forever is a mixed bag that succeeds more than it flops and with Nelson at the mike, it’s never dismissible. Side four of the three-sided, two LP set is a neat silkscreened Willie profile suitable for framing. Too bad “You Don’t Think I’m Funny Anymore,” shares side 3 with the less than stellar tracks “Worry B Gone” and “Gotta Serve Somebody,” because otherwise you might just as well make a souvenir of it and hang it up on your wall.

This is a good sounding Nashville production, not one of those slick Top 40 country jobs with the sonic lip gloss and exterior glaze carelessly applied. You’ll like the sound and much of the music.