Nelson branches out in 'Divide'
By David Irvine
Old Gold and Black Reviewer

Willie Nelson's last totally country studio album is hard to remember. It must have been back in the mid-1990s, but no one can really say for sure ¯ the call of what exactly is country and what isn't would be too subjective to make.

Regardless, the fact that Nelson does not devote more attention these days to his original sound is somewhat of a shame. Not because of any bias on my part towards the genre, mind you, but simply because country is what he does best. Nelson's signature album,

Redheaded Stranger, also happens to be regarded in many circles as the definitive country music album of all time.

This is not to say that he never experimented with other forms of music.

The most notable of these exceptions was the acclaimed Stardust (1978), which featured Nelson's covers of a number of easy-listening standards. In recent years, though, the 68-year-old singer/songwriter has strayed further and further from country to dip his brush into foreign styles. Unfortunately, the results have seldom been spectacular.

But perhaps we should not criticize Nelson for this.

After 30 years of providing country listeners with quality music, he undoubtedly deserves the opportunity to branch out, take on some new sounds and find fresh challenges for himself. And this is exactly what Nelson has done with his new release, The Great Divide.

The album is a mixture of country, rock and pop cuts, many new and some covered, as well as five duets with a diverse group of entertainers. No, the record is not his strongest. This could be attributed to the fact that Nelson only wrote one of the album's 12 tracks ¯ throughout the years the songwriter has penned the majority of his hits.

And it is probably because The Great Divide merely features Nelson's vocals on others' songs that he is at times out of his element. Where Nelson's unique vocals have essentially stood on their own in the past, with the benefit of little more than an acoustic guitar, here that voice is drowned out.

Several of the album's duets really do not add anything extra to the quality of the music ¯ they essentially serve as novelty collaborations. Such is the case with cuts such as "Be There For You" with Sheryl Crow. The thought of a Nelson and Crow team-up is intriguing, to say the least, but as it turns out, Crow is reduced to providing background vocals, and the song is neither catchy nor original.

There are a couple of worthwhile collaborations, however. The best track on the album may be "Mendocino County Line" with Lee Ann Womack, the video for which recently cracked Country Music Television's top 20. It tells an intriguing story, and the sound is more country than many of The Great Divide's tunes. Womack probably has the most beautiful country voice of anyone in the industry today, and the sound that she and Nelson are able to produce is impressive.

Nelson joins forces with Kid Rock on "Last Stand in Open Country," a tune that falls fairly evenly between rock and country. Not only is the experience of hearing the aged crooner and the upstart rapper singing together a unique one, but the song itself is first-rate, and its theme lends itself perfectly to a performance by the two outlaws.

Other noteworthy tracks are the country cuts "This Face" and "The Great Divide," as well as the somber "Won't Catch Me Crying." But listeners will want to be sure to keep their finger near the skip button for the unsuccessful covers of "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" and "Time After Time."

Also, the R&B flavored Brian McKnight duet "Don't Fade Away" could be done without. It is merely the mandatory inspirational song that Nashville seems to be instituting these days.

All of those traditionalists who rush out to purchase The Great Divide thinking that the name Willie Nelson is synonymous with country music will find out just how mistaken they are.

The album is not for the musically narrow-minded. But with such a varied list of musicians adding their unique touches to the effort, the disc may be a good introduction to Nelson for the less country-inclined. And there are enough quality songs for just about everyone to find something satisfying.

At the very least, most fans should find it pretty cool to hear the legend team up with such an impressive list of fellow musicians.