To Willie
An album of eleven Willie Nelson songs, with a cover in the style of Nelson's own tribute record To Lefty From Willie.
Phosphorescent, 2009
- Released
- 2009
- Label
- Dead Oceans
To Willie is Phosphorescent's fourth full-length and his second on Dead Oceans. It is a tribute to Willie Nelson, and its cover artwork follows the style of Nelson's To Lefty From Willie, itself a covers album. Rhapsody called it one of their favorite cover albums.
Pitchfork's Joshua Love wrote that Houck wrestles intimately with the songs. Reasons to Quit is an addict's lament that Nelson recorded as a duet with Merle Haggard, who wrote it. Too Sick to Pray comes from Nelson's 1996 album Spirit, and Can I Sleep in Your Arms from Red Headed Stranger. Love thought Houck did best with the solemn songs, calling Can I Sleep in Your Arms a revelation, and less well with jauntier ones such as I Gotta Get Drunk and Pick Up the Tempo. Angel Deradoorian sings on It's Not Supposed to Be That Way.
Track listing
- Reasons to Quit3:13
- Too Sick to Pray2:37
- Walkin'3:44
- It's Not Supposed to Be That Way3:35
- Pick Up the Tempo3:17
- I Gotta Get Drunk3:38
- Can I Sleep in Your Arms3:44
- Heartaches of a Fool3:26
- Permanently Lonely3:03
- Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning4:26
- The Party's Over3:53
Personnel
- Matthew Houck vocals, guitar, bass, piano, organ, synthesizer, harmonica, percussion
- Jeffrey Bailey bass
- Christopher Marine drums
- Ben McConnell drums (Permanently Lonely)
- Jesse Ainslie electric guitar
- Dan Weber electric guitar
- Scott Stapleton piano, organ
- Ricky Ray Jackson pedal steel
- Angel Deradoorian vocals (It's Not Supposed to Be That Way)
More from Phosphorescent
Aw Come Aw Wry (2005), Pride (2007), Here's to Taking It Easy (2010), Muchacho (2013), C'est La Vie (2018), Revelator (2024)
Sources
- To Willie, Wikipedia
- Phosphorescent: To Willie, Pitchfork (2009-02-10)
- Phosphorescent: To Willie (master release), Discogs