Willie Nelson: "Countryman"

A Willie Nelson reggae album is an idea that's almost as crazy-brilliant as casting the Red-Headed Stranger as Uncle Jesse in the Dukes of Hazzard movie. For starters, both country and reggae build on outlaw imagery and class issues, making heroes of rebels and outsiders, and the sunny island rhythms have the potential to counterbalance the dark gospel sobriety of many of Nelson's songs. Furthermore, Nelson's reputation for cannabis consumption, while not a pervasive trend in conservative country music, suggests that maybe music wasn't the primary motivation for recording in Jamaica. It's an act of cool wit that Countryman prominently features a marijuana leaf on the album cover-- although many chain stores are stocking the tamer version, which features a palm tree. - Stephen M. Deusner - Pitchforkmedia.com

The idea of hearing Willie Nelson doing reggae covers in his inimitable style is one thing, but there are only two such covers here (both by Jimmy Cliff); everything else here, minus a cover of Johnny and June Carter Cash’s “Worried Man,” is a Nelson original. Two of the songs are new; the remaining tracks have been rescued from his voluminous back catalog, but they’ve been…well, there’s no other way to say it: they’ve been reggaed up. We’re talking guitar, dub breaks, and even the occasional bit of skanking. The arrangements aren’t bad; it’s the production that’s over the top, trying too hard to force Willie’s songs into a reggae format. It’s unsurprising, therefore, that of Nelson’s compositions, the two new tracks, “Do You Mind Too Much If I Don’t Understand” and “I Guess I’ve Come to Live Here,” fare best.- Will Harris - Bull-eye.com


Imagine for a second that Reggae music did not sprout from Jamaica, but in fact emanated from the country roots of Texas. Willie Nelson, an undisputed legend of country and folk music, offers us this thought of what such a musical landscape would be like in his latest album, Countryman. At first glance, one might question the validity of marrying skanky reggae with the twang of country, and in fact this writer was initially caught off guard at the interesting sound that came from Countryman. However, after listening further, the comforts of Willie’s music lends itself well to the offbeat feel of reggae and is indeed a marriage long overdue. LL for the Reggae Movement


Dieci anni per farlo , ma finalmente Willie ha portato a termine il suo progetto reggae . Un disco solare , quasi un album di Jimmy Buffett , cantato però con la classica cadenza del texano . Nelson mischia sonorità country con una ritmica prettamente caraibica . Il risultato è un disco assolutamente godibile ed estivo . www.caru.com

Un disco dalla gestazione molto lunga, più di dieci anni. E, contro ogni previsione, un album bello ed assolutamente godibile, fresco e suonato come Dio comanda. Willie si mette a fare reggae e lo mischia con i suoni texani, con il country e spruzzate di rock, gospel e blues e regala una manciata di canzoni piene di vita, allegre ma con una solida base . E suonandolo cresce e diventa quasi un ascolto indispensabile dopo una giornata di duro lavoro. Infonde allegria. - www.buscadero.com

Parola di Bielle
Album contrastato ( e contrastabile). Dieci anni di gestazione e alla fine cosa si ha? Un album di reggae o un di country? O un mischione non meglio identificato? Tutte e tre le cose forse. I brani di raggae non sono che due o tre, il resto sono canzoni di Willie reggaeizzate. A volte funziona ed il risultato è scanzonato e allegro. A volte meno e si sfiora il pasticcio. Tutto questo in un disco che supera di pochissimo la mezzora e che, appena uscito, ha trovato polemiche e opposizione anche per la copertina (indovinate perché?). Tutte cose che semmai fanno simpatia, come la voglia di provarsi e sperimentarsi ancora di questo outlow del country americano, arrivato in leggerezza oltre la barriera dei settant'anni.