Search - Willie Nelson :: Stardust

A wonderful, most welcome album

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 04/26/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Willie Nelson's excellent album, Stardust, is terrific both for his fans as well as for anyone who loves classic pop and jazz vocals. Willie is in excellent form on this album and the songs are all very well done. I always thought Willie was a terrific country singer but he sure showed me that I didn't know the full extent of his talent when I listened to this album! The quality of the sound is excellent and the front artwork replicates the artwork from the vinyl record album released in 1978.



"Stardust" gets a most sensitive treatment from Willie Nelson who delivers this brilliantly. The percussion adds a nice touch and the rest of the musical arrangement perfectly complements Willie's faultless delivery of this classic ballad. "Georgia on My Mind" shines bright in Willie's capable hands; he performs this from the bottom of his heart and just one listen proves it! The guitar arrangement along with that percussion enhances the tune as well. In addition, "Blue Skies;" "All of Me" and "Unchained Melody" are absolutely perfect and a joy to hear over and over again. The keyboard playing works wonders especially in "All of Me" and "Unchained Melody."



"September Song" grew on me over time; Willie does it very well. This number is easy on the ear and extremely passionate. "On The Sunny Side of the Street" charms me with its natural beauty; Willie Nelson tackles this traditionally jazz tune and makes it bright as he swings gently to make this rendition his own.



"Moonlight in Vermont" gets a very sensitive interpretation from this masterful artist; he never lets go of a single superfluous note and the music as he sings is beautiful, too. "Don't Get around Much Anymore" is a standard that gets the royal treatment from Willie and the use of the guitar is both creative and very pleasing. It's tracks like "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" that demonstrate so very well just how facile Willie Nelson is when it comes to performing different genres of music.



"Someone to Watch over Me" is yet another charmer; and the album closes with two bonus ballads, "Scarlet Ribbons" and "I Can See Clearly Now." Some could say that "I Can See Clearly Now" doesn't truly fit in with the rest of the tracks; and they have a point. However, Nelson does this one up right and I can't fault him for that.



Willie Nelson yet again shares his talent with us and we are all so much better off for it. His remarkable talent and Booker T. Jones' arrangements yield some of the very best music I've heard yet. This is a fine CD."