Willie Nile - Willie Nile
#77
Reviewed by Tom Mott
February 1980
Willie Nile
Willie Nile
Allen’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Tom’s Rating: 3.75/4.5
The first rating is my personal rating. Great songs, but I wore out.
The second rating is what I think fans will rate this. It's solid.
Allen’s Highlights:
Vagabond Moon
Dear Lord
It’s All Over
Tom’s Highlights:
Dear Lord
She's So Cold
Behind the Cathedral
Swap out Ronnie Lane's heart with NYC urgency and replace Ronnie's accordianist in favor of a more guitar-driven NYC dive bar sound. It works. If you like Ronnie Lane, The Long Ryders, The Beaver Brown Band, Violent Femmes, Lone Justice (who came later), give this a listen. Shades of "She's So Cold"/"Shattered" era Rolling Stones. I can tell he'd be fantastic live, especially in a small, loud NYC club in 1980. I'm jealous I was a little too young and wasn't there.
Thought #1: Oh no, yet another mid-tempo roots rocker. At least this will be free.
Thought #2: I'm probably supposed to know who this is.
Thought #3: Who is this?!?
Thought #4: Nice. Vocals remind me of Ronnie Lane.
Thought #5: Nice. Makes me think of The Call a little bit.
Thought #6: How have I never heard of Willie Niles? He's great!
TRACK BY TRACK
Vagabond Moon - Starts out as "yet another roots rocker" which depending on your predilictions could be good or bad. But as the song continues, it draws in and compares favorably to Ronnie Lane, Dylan, or Nick Lowe. He's winning me over.
Dear Lord - Fun. This would be great live in a club in the early 80s.
It's All Over - He hasn't lost me yet. Solid but uneventful track.
Across the River - Switcheroo to piano. Nice change of pace.
She's So Cold - NOT the Stones song, and all the better for it. A stomper!
I'm not Waiting - A little too Springsteen-ish for me, but fans of the boss will like this. (I give Brooooce a pass for "I'm on Fire" and his songs in the hands of others. See: Manfred Mann, Pointer Sisters. But just barely.)
That's the Reason - A retread of That'll Be the Day. Works for me. A fun bit of hand-clap rock.
They'll Build a Statue You - I realized I wasn't listening. He's losing me a bit. I wish he another singer in his band to share vocals. Or backup vocals.
Old Men Sleeping On the Bowery - A garage-rocker. Shades of The Blue Magoos. I like it.
Behind the Cathedral - A quiet Ronnie Lane/Gene Clark sort of song. Lovely.
Sing Me a Song - Sounds a bit like Violent Femmes covering Sultans of Swing. This would be the song the diehard fans would sing along with, to signal their diehardiness at live shows. It's OK. We've all done that!
SOME SONGS & BANDS NAMED-CHECKED:
Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance - How Come
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ0AI_w_70w
The Call - The Walls Come Down
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAxg8nuvPKM
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band - Wild Summer Nights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lza2pwHwZaQ
Lone Justice - Ways to Be Wicked
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df-a3Ns4MHE
Blues Magoos - We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBhSOxCA940
Rolling Stones - She's So Cold
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo34VhfcetU
Gene Clark - With Tomorrow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJOR4crL2ws
https://open.spotify.com/album/0mkCWPX6KBIJvQi8qnbiGQ?si=9JV9xw36QgGauqh6agGwfQ
