Band of Brothers
Willie Nelson
(Legacy)
Four stars
Willie Nelson has written a song – sometimes two, three or four – for every occasion, mood and moment. There's Wistful Willie. Defiant Willie. Repentant Willie, Preacher Willie. Populist Willie. Whimsical Willie and Vengeful Willie. The 81-year-old's latest release, Band of Brothers, is a projection of the revered songwriter's best qualities. It opens with Defiant Willie staring down the storm on Bring It On. Wistful Willie lets the Guitar in the Corner play him and Repentant Willie hits The Wall. Populist Willie provides the title track, a beautiful display of the sentiment that has made Nelson incongruously both an outlaw and a figure beloved by all. "We're a band of brothers and sisters and whatever/On a mission to break all the rules." Nelson positions that song between a pair of Billy Joe Shaver covers – The Git Go featuring Jamey Johnson and It's Hard to Be an Outlaw – midway through the album, and this outlaw triptych serves as a powerful reminder of why we have loved Nelson for all these years.
* Chris Talbott, AP
