Live In Amsterdam (Smokin' At The Paradiso) - Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson: Story-Teller

Advantages: Willie's sweet voice and stinging guitar
Disadvantages: It's not twice as long

The music: clean, uncluttered introspective. The songs: conveying the stark, sere, loneness of the singer. It's been called "blue collar blues" and I'd call it that, too, more than I'd call it country music. Only three of the songs are new, written in the 1990s, the rest are refashioned from the 1960s, and the 30 years in between scarcely matter. The songs were chosen and pieced together to tell the story of obssessive love or convey the concept of domestic abuse, whichever way you want to see it. And they do succeed in working together. They succeed in taking hold of your heart and grabbing onto it hard. Somehow, in Willie Nelson's mature voice, the older songs take on a new edge and freshness. Emmy Lou Harris's background voice deepens the poignancy and works sweetly with Willie's. Hers is the ghostly voice of the victim and ...

Jerseycoa 21.06.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Teatro - Willie Nelson

Affectionately made Standards Record

Advantages: Willie's interpretations, subtle musicianship, great songs
Disadvantages: No Willie Nelson compositions

Willie Nelson is a versatile performer. He was famous for being at the forefront of the country outlaw movement in the 70's. Released at the end of the 70's while the movement was at it's height, Nelson went against the grain with this risky offering of standards. This could have gone dreadfully for Willie but in fact what he achieved was one of his most successful and popular releases. The album is finely produced by Booker T. Jones of Booker T and the MGs. It's simply and beautifully done allowing Willie to take these songs and make them his own. It doesn't really fall into any category, as it's not really country, nor folk, nor Jazz, nor easy listening. Please excuse me for sounding utterly pretentious which I am about to do... It's Willie Nelson. The song selection is great with fantastic readings of 'Georgia on My Mind ...

Nixu1980 17.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Stardust - Willie Nelson

Living In Oblivion review

Advantages: Well acted, keeps you engaged throughout
Disadvantages: None

Living In Oblivion is a low budget independent film written and directed by Tom DiCillo and starring Steve Buscemi and Dermot Mulroney. Sure, these aren't A-list stars, but that lends itself to the story. If it was a film about the making of a film and you had George Clooney and Brad Pitt pretending to be small time actors you wouldn't believe it. That's why it was better to use less well known actors, it pulls you more into the story. The film takes place during one day on set of a low budget movie, and documents all the problems that the director, Nick (Buscemi), and everyone else can encounter, from equipment malfunctioning to office politics to actors forgetting their lines. It's almost like a documentary, it is very realistic and gives you the complete story as to what it's like trying to get a film made. There are a few ...

Walter_Kovacs 30.01.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Living in Oblivion DVD