It鈥檚 fun to hear sing such words as 鈥渘inja,鈥� 鈥渇ishmonger鈥� and 鈥渁bsinthe,鈥� which are among the many pleasures found in the songbook of influential country .
鈥淥h What A Beautiful World鈥� is Nelson鈥檚 latest album devoted to the songs of a specific songwriter, and in Crowell, he鈥檚 interpreting a kindred spirit. While Crowell has a slightly different lyric vocabulary, both are Texans with a deep love of Hank Williams.
The pairing 鈥� great songs and a great singer 鈥� works beautifully. The album will be out Friday, just before on April 29.
He has long sounded ageless, but more than ever, Nelson sings like a sage. His reedy tenor can be a little whispery, but he displays surprising vocal range. His relaxed, conversational delivery is filled with warmth and wisdom. He鈥檒l start a phrase late, end it early and make it seem perfect.
When he reminisces about childhood on 鈥淏anks of the Old Bandera" 鈥� originally recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker 鈥� Nelson sounds just like he did in 1976, the year the song was written. Other material ranges from 鈥淪hame on the Moon,鈥� a 1982 pop hit for Bob Seger, to Crowell鈥檚 overlooked gem 鈥淪he鈥檚 Back in Town.鈥�
Also included are tunes that have been recorded by (鈥淥pen Season On My Heart鈥�) and (鈥淢aking Memories of Us鈥�) and a folksy ballad co-written with (鈥淪tuff That Works鈥�).
Longtime Nelson collaborator Buddy Cannon produced the record, and the backing musicians provide graceful, tasteful support. Nelson鈥檚 beloved guitar Trigger plays a significant role, including on a careening, don鈥檛-try-this-at-home solo on the title cut, a duet with Crowell.
Also among the highlights is 鈥淭he Fly Boy & The Kid,鈥� a prayerlike shuffle with playful lyrics that Nelson leans into. He鈥檚 equally frisky doing roadhouse blues on 鈥淪he鈥檚 Back in Town,鈥� while elsewhere the mood tends toward contemplative. 鈥淭he days go by like flying bricks,鈥� Nelson sings on the handsome ballad 鈥淥pen Season On My Heart.鈥�
More than any other song in the set, 鈥淪till Learning How to Fly鈥� seems as if it was written for Nelson. Nearing the end of the album 鈥� Nelson鈥檚 154th, according to herculean ranking of his prolific discography 鈥� he sings:
鈥淚鈥檝e got a past that I won鈥檛 soon forget / And you ain鈥檛 seen nothing yet.鈥�
He sounds as if he means it.
Steven Wine, The Associated Press
