CD Review: Willie Nelson's Songbird

Something seemed backward when country music legend Willie Nelson announced his new album, Songbird, was to be produced by alt-country poster boy Ryan Adams. Both artists are extremely talented and admired in their respective music circles, but Nelson's wisdom and eclecticism compared with Adam's brashness and (in comparison to his new partner's career) inexperience made it seem like their roles should have been reversed.

But surprise, surprise, Nelson and Adams somehow made the odd configuration work, creating an album that could help mend the gap between older fans of classic country and a youth disenfranchised from the genre by the watered down army of CMT stars.

Songbird's opening track, "Rainy Day Blues," fails to set the tone for the rest of the album. As the song's title unintentionally suggests, this is about as average of a blues tune as it gets. Following the overused formula of "state a problem/ repeat the problem/ suggest a solution" all to a blues pattern we've all heard so many times before, "Rainy Day Blues" is neither good nor bad. It's simply forgettable.

With the worst out of the way so early, Songbird is a very enjoyable mix of cover songs, original pieces by Adams, and remakes of older works from Nelson's catalogue.

The album's covers are varied, from a vibrant remake of Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird," to a haunting, country version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" given new life by Nelson's trademark off-beat vocal timing.

Standing high above the other covers (and the rest of the songs on the album, for that matter) is a remake of "$1,000 Wedding," by alt-country pioneer Gram Parsons. Trying to improve upon the work of an artist so highly acclaimed within a particular genre could be suicidal in terms of an album's ratings. But with the twang-rock guitars of Adams' backing band, the Cardinals, and a choir of what sounds to be soul-singing angels, the boys have infused this classic with an energy the original didn't possess.

As one might expect, Adams' ego manages to shine through at times, making certain tracks feel like Nelson is singing karaoke versions of his producer's songs.

"Blue Hotel" was written by Adams and, with its gospel-like organ solos and upbeat guitar arrangement, sounds like a leftover from his 2001 album, Gold.

But aside from being slightly arrogant, the insertion of Adams' musical style into Nelson's album works to its advantage.

Nowhere is this better heard than on the revamped version of Nelson's ironic classic "Sad Songs and Waltzes." The original's slow tempo and downplayed backing instrumentals made the song's protagonist seem vulnerable and fragile. With the Cardinals providing a louder and faster backing arrangement, the embittered, vengeful character Nelson intended is more apparent.

Songbird isn't going to please everybody. Nelson's flirtation with alt-country seems to be part of his ongoing process to reinvent himself through numerous collaborations and a brief stint on the reggae scene (a move so bizarre, yet so fitting).

Nelson is no longer Shotgun Willie, the honky-tonk rebel people came to know in the 1960s and 1970s. Even so, at 73-years-old Nelson's willingness to expand musically is a trait many can find admirable.

4 of 5