best albums of 2014: #6

willie nelson – band of brothers (legacy recordings)

even at 81, willie can still churn out records with the vivacity of his days leading the outlaw country movement at the dawn of the 70s. even though he is over 80, he can still confront the world with his grin and bear it and roll with every punch. the track sequencing seems a bit off, it could have grouped more similar songs together, but i guess after hearing so many albums that are concept albums, or otherwise arranged around a central theme, this seems more like a greatest hits album. then again, even though willie is the best country musician of all time, he can’t be expected to produce a red headed stranger every time. and making an album of all new tracks for the first time in maybe a decade that sounds like a collection of greatest hits is a remarkable achievement in its own right.

as a cohesive whole though, the focus tracks promoted to radio stations that begin the album, serve as an introduction to the real collection of songs. not to shortchange those first seven songs, by any means, they all come with willie’s amazing signature melodies. the wall and whenever you come around are the only times willie suggests a vulnerability. wives and girlfriends contains the kind of humor that only willie can get away with. the song would have been banned in the 50s, and might even be in some states today.

still, it’s the midway point when the album really gets started on the twangy honky tonk song used to her. then willie hits with three straight hard blues songs that preach timeless truths. willie has always been at his best with a sidekick, so it’s a wonder that git go, featuring jamey johnson, is the only duet. but he pays homage to the entire inner workings of the industry on the title track band of brothers and relents that there are truth tellers and people that speak the most on hard to be an outlaw, both songs make a little stab at the industry leeches. he gets back into the honky tonk comedy on crazy like me to make a caricature. the penultimate track, the songwriters, is also the ultimate track that sums up willie’s work the best and tells of all sides of having a superstar’s life. in the finale, willie wraps up the various moods and topics of the album into a concise sayonara song, which is refreshing in its implication that there is much more to come.  there can, of course, never be too much wille nelson.