Customer Reviews

Countryman (Alternate Clean Cover) (Edco) (Dig)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

10 years. That's a long time, you know. A decade. Of course, for an artist as prolific as Willie Nelson, 10 year is nothing. But for those of us who've been dying to hear him sing reggae, it's an eternity. Well, COUNTRYMAN is here, and it's a blast!

The thing is, this doesn't sound at all awkward. It's Willie Nelson--the man who, when he puts his heart and soul into it (as he's done here) can sing anything he darn-well pleases. It also helps that he penned most of these songs, many of which have become country classics. And those he didn't write (the two Jimmy Cliff numbers--"The Harder They Come" and "Sitting in Limbo"--and Johnny Cash's "I'm A Worried Man") come out sounding naturally; hell, the two Cliff songs rank with some of Willie's best recordings. And while, yes, the production does occasionally take away from the impact of his lyrics, it should be expected: Willie Nelson is a man who does what he wants, and often that includes employing contradictions. But all towards a noteworthy end--great music!

So, in summary, COUNTRYMAN is an album that may not be worth a ten-year wait, but since it has finally come out, there's no reason not to give it a listen. You'll enjoy it. Even fans of Willie's hardcore material should enjoy it...after all, it's only a small step away from the bravado and musical genius of RED-HEADED STRANGER. You remember that one, don't you? Made a superstar out of this short, red-headed singer/songwriter. And though Willie Nelson has aged, it's been like a fine wine: the more time passes, the more you enjoy the outcome. COUNTRYMAN is simply a great album, and destined to be a classic.

Full disclosure: My knowledge of reggae stops just beyond Bob Marley and UB40.

My knowledge of Willie is much more extensive which is why I have no problem rating this album 5 stars. Whether the songs are more country-infused reggae or reggae-infused country, I don't care. It just works. My favorite tracks are Sitting In Limbo and The Harder They Come, but really there isn't a weak track on the album, and I know a thing or two about weak Willie tracks (see anything on Live and Kickin').

Amazon should run a "Better Together" with the excellent Throw Down Your Arms by Sinead O'Connor. That one is brilliant too.

When I mentioned to old time Willie Nelson fans that he was coming out with a reggae album many were clearly not interested. Apparently branching out to reggae was not a good thought, in their mind, for Willie. However, after they and others get a listen to this I think they will change their minds.

Part of that is because Willie always has been able to make everything he sings his own, and the traditional reggae beats and harmonies are no different. In fact, this could be just a traditional Willie album with seemingly slight changes, because you just cannot take the voice out of Willie. That is why the album ends up sounding more Jimmy Buffett-ish then anything, and also why it still should be able to find a mainstream audience, not that it has too.

I actually was worried on the opposite end, because after hearing the first two songs, both light on reggae and heavy on Willie, I thought most of the others would sound almost exactly the same. However, with the third track "Worried Man," featuring Toots Hibbert, I was relaxed to hear something fresh that combined reggae and Willie in a much nicer fashion. Thankfully, that continues more or less for the rest of the album.

By no means am I saying this was the best Willie's accomplished (thus the 4 stars), but one should be pleasantly surprised when they hear Willie do reggae.

Playing Time - 35:53 -- Ten years in the making, Willie Nelson (and 17 other musicians) fuse country and reggae sounds into an enticing and powerful concoction. But you've got to wonder why the record execs kept a lid on this music for nearly a decade? With rhythms to dominate the dancehalls and juke joints, Willie jumps right into the popular music style of Jamaica with largely original music he composed or co-wrote with others like Ray Price or Hank Cochran. A couple songs from Jimmy Cliff (The Harder They Come, Sitting in Limbo), and one from Johnny & June Carter Cash (I'm a Worrried Man) round out the set. All are presented with reggae's characteristic chopped guitar or keyboard emphasizing the off beats. I wonder how Bob Marley would like this? I think he'd Be Happy!

What's the origin of this musical style? Mento, the island's raggedy calypso style, originated in the 1950s. In the early 1960s, we started hearing about ska, a shuffling hybrid of mento and R&B. As ska became influenced by American rock in the late 1960s, some called it "rude boy" music for the street anarchists who followed the music. Reggae emerged as a popular influence on world music in the 1970s, largely thanks to its talented superstar Bob Marley who was also a powerful moral authority when the U.S. was at war in Vietnam. The word "reggae" might come from the patois "streggae" (rudeness) or perhaps "regge-regge" (quarrel). Toots (Frederick) Hibbert who wrote "Do the Reggay" once said the term is merely descriptive, meaning simply "regular." Toots makes a special guest cameo appearance on Willie's album at track 3, "I'm a Worried Man." Toots, you may remember, gave us a successful reggae cover of John Denver's "Country Roads," and his "True Love" album release even featured an appearance of Nelson.

Reggae was influenced by Rastafarianism, a cult belief that racial harmony wouldn't work and that blacks should return to Africa. The Rastas were ascetic, vegetarian and peaceful. They also had an affinity for powerful ganja as an aid to meditation. The best songs that work for Willie Nelson are those with hard-hitting social messages that speak from the heart of the proletariat, such as "The Harder They Come" and "I'm a Worried Man." A catchy song like "Sitting in Limbo" has potential to become a reggae classic.

"Countryfarianism" could be the moniker for Willie's new, hypnotic, bass-dominated sound. He still focuses on
making a statement with his music, and he reinvents some of his classics like "One in a Row," "You Left Me a Long Time Ago," and "Darkness on the Face of The Earth." It makes sense that Willie chooses Jamaica's shuffling "country" music style to infuse these chestnuts with new ingredients of repose and consciousness. Willie's relaxed vocal delivery is perfect for the spiritual essence of this new blend that will send lightning bolts striking through the followers of both genres. (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)

My suggestion? Ignore the five star ratings. Ignore the one star ratings. If you are a die hard Willie fan, buy it. If you're on the fence, listen to some tracks first. There's some good stuff here to be sure, but this is an effort that lacks focus. As is well known, it was kind of strung together from different sessions over a number of years and somewhat patched together once the green light was given to put it out. Some old Willie tunes just don't seem to fit the production - "Something To Think About" springs to mind. And, let's face it, Willie's habit of late has been to go back to his old songs again and again on new projects - it would be nice to hear some new material. But this is Willie and that makes it better - and more interesting - than just about anything (certainly on country radio) being put out now (compare this work to Toby Keith and that ilk, and it sounds like a classic). "I'm A Worried Man", "The Harder They Come" and "Darkness On The Face of the Earth" are given interesting go-rounds to be sure. And, like I said, this is Willie. Not great Willie, but still Willie.

You know it does. Willie Nelson making a reggae recording? Kind of a no-brainer, isn't it? This is a fun CD. You get laid-back Willie playing the most laid-back music on earth. Some of the songs are reggae standards, and some are his own songs that he "reggaefied." Willie fans will like this, but so will fans of reggae music, and those two are often considered mutually exclusive. Pick this CD up, it will lighten your day.

For some reason that I cannot understand, this album was severely criticized by music reviewers. Perhaps they just thought "Oh, this is goofy. Who needs a reggae album from Willie Nelson?" Perhaps they figured it didn't make any sense musically. Perhaps they thought it was nothing more than a reflection of Willie's fondness for the little green-leafed plant pictured on the cover of the album.

But if you love Willie Nelson, IGNORE those critics. Here's what you get on this album:

(1) You get nine of Willie Nelson's finest compositions, many of them rarities that he originally recorded back in the 60s before he was well-known. And these reggae-tinged versions are SUPERIOR to Nelson's own original recordings of the same songs. Trust me, I've listened to the originals! If you love those really sad, sad, sad Willie Nelson songs that he wrote back in the days when he was a truly sad guy (before all the fame, before the whole hippie thing), you will LOVE these songs. They are not really reggae versions. They are classic Willie Nelson country songs with a reggae TINGE to them. It's Willie with a very subtle, low-key reggae rhythm section -- and that riddim DOES fit with Willie's slightly off-the-beat trademark vocal style.

(2) You get a great Johnny Cash song ("Worried Man") with Willie Nelson dueting with Toots Hibbert.

(3) Finally, you get two cuts that, in my view, were unnecessary: Willie's cover versions of two reggae standards "The Harder They Come" and "Sitting in Limbo." Frankly, I these are the weakest cuts. And I think some critics, hearing those cuts, got turned off to the whole project, thinking "oh this is just some cheesy reggae retreads."

Not that there's anything wrong with those two reggae covers per se. It's just that they kinda confuse the concept. The REAL concept of this album is NOT "Willie Nelson does reggae." It's that Willie Nelson re-records some of his best older songs from his sad old days, and does so with a bit of a reggae flavor.

(4) You get some of best-sounding Willie Nelson vocals in his entire recorded catalog. And some of those great understated Willie Nelson acoustic guitar breaks.

If it sounds like I'm on a crusade for this album, well in a way I am. I am a huge fan of REAL country music (of the Hank, Lefty, Merle, Johnny Cash school) and I'm a huge Willie Nelson fan, and I think this album has been unfairly derided by way too many people, professional and amateur critics alike.

I own literally thousands of albums, and Willie Nelson's "Countryman" is honestly and truly one of the ones I'd take with me to that proverbial desert island.

It's sad to say that it took a wise old American countryman to spin the best reggae album in some time. For those of you reggae fans that appreciate "real" reggae without the rap crap influence, this is for you. Willie nails this one...great song writing, perfect tempo, and on the money production by Don Was. And what's more, Willie makes a perfect mix of country and sweet reggae. The man is getting better with age. Check out "Worried Man" and hear how Was puts it all together...sweetness. Willie and Toots Hibbert... two veterans of their respective musical genres in perfect sync. Or try "Live here in your eyes." Another example of master infusion of two music types worlds apart, yet neighbors in the sense of earthy groundage. I don't know how the backup musicians came to be, but all wise choices. You will not here more on the money percussion and timing from this bass and drum combo...tight, sweet and on the money. Keep it going Willie. My vote for album of the year. Awesome!

It may take a listen or two before you can really soak this in, but once you do, you'll be pleased....I was a bit skeptical of this combo at first, but Willie done good!

I'll make this review brief as there have been many that have covered what I'm writing on this right here. Willie is an American musical legend and this album lives up to the hype. I, being a reggae music afficianado, had many doubts about his pulling off this genre respectfully. Thankfully, I was surprised by this set. He has made the most listenable reggae-fusion album ever recorded to this date (yeah, that is what I wrote). Willie is more musically important than he has ever been in 2006. (with Johnny Cash & Waylon Jennings gone). Long live Willie!!!!