Search - Willie Nelson :: Naked Willie

+1/2 -- Willie's Nashville-era work stripped to the studs

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 03/23/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Nelson's longtime harmonica player Mickey Raphael "unproduced" these seventeen tracks from the original RCA multitrack masters, drawing material from 1967's The Party's Over and Other Great Willie Nelson Songs, 1969's My Own Peculiar Way, 1970's Laying My Burdens Down, 1971's Willie Nelson & Family, and a few rarities, including the 1968 single "Bring Me Sunshine," and the archive tracks "Jimmy's Road" from 1968 and "If You Could See What's Going Through My Mind" from 1970. The new mixes are stripped of strings and backing vocals, leaving Nelson's voice up front of rudimentary arrangements of guitar, bass, piano and drums, and occasional flourishes of vibraphone, steel and organ.



Unfortunately, the notion that these de-sweetened versions get to the roots of the songwriter's original vision is only half true, as Nelson and Raphael could only work with what was on the tapes, which includes unswinging Nashville-styled performances from studio A-listers. The basic tracks were purposely arranged as scaffolding upon which decoration was to be layered, distracting decoration perhaps, but decoration that was part of the original architecture. What's left sounds unfinished, rather than the original root of something that was embellished. Even without the orchestration and backing chorus, Nelson's vocals remain at odds with the backing players, confined by Nashville's straight time, and unable to launch his idiosyncratic stylings.



This would be less evident had Nelson not bucked Nashville's constrictions and satisfied his muse across dozens of celebrated albums for Atlantic and Columbia. These de-produced versions are neither the intricately assembled, finished products of Nelson's producers, nor the fleshed out visions of a singer-songwriter chafing against Nashville's conventions. The Nashville studio players only hint at the emotional work that would back Nelson's breakthrough efforts. Fans will enjoy hearing Nelson's voice out front of these terrific songs, but there isn't true gold lurking beneath the orchestrations and backing vocalists, only a clearer picture of just how desperately Nelson needed to break free of Nashville's way of doing things. 3-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]"

Should have been done years ago!

William Norman | Abilene, TX USA | 03/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a fan of Willie Nelson for many years, but I have never been a fan of the "Nashville sound" of the 1960s. This compilation takes away the distracting string sections and vocal choruses, and leaves Willie and his band - pure, simple, and to the point. These uncomplicated tracks sound clean, with a good balance on the mix. You can hear nuances that were buried in the original mixes.



I found it interesting that five of the songs on this compilation were originally released on "Laying My Burdens Down." It would be great to hear the rest of that classic RCA album produced in this same style, along with "My Own Peculiar Way," "Willie Nelson & Family" and other early RCA titles. Please give us MORE!!!"

Instant Classic

cordell jeffries | webster groves, mo | 04/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Willie Nelson remains one of the most overcompilationified recording artists around. We've all seen his "Greatest" and his "Essential," never mind the 4,942 budget "Best of" compilations. It's enough to make any fan skeptical about any collection bearing his name.



But Naked Willie rises above most, if not all, of them. It's as essential as Red Headed Stranger, and that's seriously high praise.



Like Red Headed Stranger, Naked Willie is built on a theme. However, the theme here is related to how the material literally sounds versus its subject matter.



In this case, the theme is simply what would his songs would've sounded like were he the producer back in the 1960s and early 1970s. Back then, country stars small and big alike were given the high-gloss "Nashville sound" treatment made famous (never mind insanely popular) by Chet Atkins.



Don't get me wrong; the Nashville sound is almost always recognizable and quite often fantastic. But for every artist who was helped by all the extra strings, horns and vocals, there were those whose efforts were diminished by them. Willie Nelson clearly falls into the latter, and this CD is all about the magic that happens once those layers are stripped away. Leaving the music "naked," and yes, inspiring the CD's title.



The results are nothing short of glorious. Here, the songs are what is brought to the fore, plain and simple -- Willie and the hired hand musicians playing their brains out....Willie's vocal skills perhaps at their absolute peak....playful tunes...sad tunes...even some subjects that some could call "controversial."



Kudos to the producer and audio engineer who handled all the "unproduction" needed to make this such a treat.



I am only a "medium" Willie Nelson fan; this was a gift to me. It completely caught me off guard -- in a good way -- and i think this would be an outstanding gift for just about anyone, Willie zealot or not.



Of course, for all you hardcore Willie zealots (pun intended), the CD booklet has two -- count 'em, two -- pictures of Mr. Nelson himself in the bathtub...also naked. But don't worry: There are no John&Yoko moments here. Just an absolute legend having some fun in a bubbly tub, pleased that some of his greatest music will finally be heard the way he'd always intended for it to be. Naked."