Willie Nelson "Moment of Forever"
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- Willie Nelson "Moment of Forever"
- It's always been a shame that Willie Nelson's reputation continually precedes him, his occasional run-ins with the law more newsworthy than a new release. Especially when it's considered that his body of work remains unparalleled in country music, and he keeps cranking it out on a regular basis - always just under the radar.
"Moment of Forever" isn't likely to change all that, but it's one of Willie's more solid, if somewhat inconsistent efforts of his recent modern-leanings. And, at the very least, it isn't "The Countryman."
Opener "Over You Again" and "Always Now" remind of the arcane expressiveness Nelson can pack in a simple country tune, yet these are two of only three originals, and the focus here is remaking obscurities of others:
Big Kenny's shanty "The Bob Song" lands with a bit of a thump; likewise does the flat take on "Gotta Serve Somebody," Willie sounding like he's not really in on Dylan's joke, or maybe just not that interested. And the indie-rock groove of Dave Matthews' "Gravedigger," and the soul-rocker "Takin' On Water," both feel good, without actually feeling anything like Willie.
But even if he's phoning-in Randy Newman's "Louisiana," the post-Katrina perspective will always remain heart-wrenching - even more so with Nelson's singularly wearied reading. It's a nice foil to the next-to-last "You Don't Think I'm Funny Anymore," an 'oh-well' ode to getting old, full of his acerbic, grandfatherly humor.
Both demonstrate that even while updating his sound, Nelson does so with the same aw-shucks shrug and sideways smile, with the same beat-up guitar and outlaw otherness that keeps him steadfastly self-contained, and will keep him, probably, forever on the Lost Highway. Choice Cuts: "Over You Again" "Always Now" "Louisiana" "You Don't Think I'm Funny Anymore"
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