Customer Reviews

Willie Nile

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

From the sound of this CD, it could have been released anywhere between 1965 and yesterday. Every track is worth listening to, a rare occurrence in my CD library.

The tracks have a wide range of styles. About half are bouncy, light rock songs ("Vagabond Moon", "That's The Reason"). At the ends of the spectrum, there is a little fast, hard rock ("Sing Me A Song", "Old Men Sleeping On The Bowery"), and a few powerful, piano driven ballads ("Across The River", "Edge Of The Earth"). A few of the light rock songs also have comical elements, such as "They'll Build A Statue Of You".

The wide stylistic range allows the CD to work for almost any mood. This excellent, yet surprisingly obscure CD should grace your CD collection before it vanishes for another twenty years.

Another major talent adrift in a sea of obscurity, Willie Nile's eponymous debut album is nothing short of a revelation. Mix in equal parts Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Nils Lofgren, and what you get are Nile's celebratory tales of life and love, all delivered in his trademark reedy tenor and supported by a crackling rockin' band. "Vagabond Moon" kicks this album off with a bang, just a wonderful, melodic, straight ahead rock and roll song, nothing more and nothing less. No studio gimmicks are evident and the entire album has a one-take feel to it. What puzzles me however is why this CD pressing fails to include the album's best tune,"I'm Not Waiting," present on both the vinyl and first CD pressing. Loses one star for that reason only.

I can't remember why I originally bought this record.
Was it the fact that he was drinking those golden
cans of Miller? The attractive women who are sitting
with him at the table in some bohemian exotic place?
Or was it the Stratocaster. The guitar Iv'e had a lifelong
relationship with. For whatever reason it's had staying
power in my home playlist. For 20 some years it's been
as important as my forvorite pizza parlor, perfect spring
days and sleeping late every sunday. Like Haiku poetry
Willie Nile's music has only the essence required. He's
very much like Buddy Holly in that he has stuck to what
he's good at over the years and refined it. For those
lucky enough to live on the east coast he still plays gigs there.
This was his first effort and it's one of his best. Jingle
jangle guitars, silly rhymes, unrequieted love and reaffirmations.
Unlike many dated recordings from this era, this sounds as
fresh today as when it was made. Buy this one. Fits any mood,
or any day. Michael Caldwell

I reviewed this album a couple of months ago but it didn't go through. Buffalo native Willie Nile, released his first album at age 30. Here on this great collection of songs, is the ultimate "Vagabond Moon", "Dear Lord", the Byrdsy "It's All Over", the punkish "She's So Cold" beat the Stones with this song title, "That's The Reason", Old Men Sleeping On The Bowery" and the classic rocker "Sing Me A Song". Willie has released 6 other great studio albums 2 great live albums 1 solid ep. Good stuff here, a pick 'em ***** release.

Recently listened to his CD's and was subjected to him live (opening for Richard Thompson). Pretentious, derivative, mediocre and burnt out are the first four adjectives that come to mind. Why all the gushing and no reasoned critique of this "artist"?