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Willie Nelson
Phases And Stages
Atlantic / Rhino
Recorded at Muscle Shoals in 1973: a feelingly spare, beautifully restrained concept album about a divorce, devoting a side to each point of view.
‘This is a hell of an emotional record, where even the celebratory honky tonk numbers are muted by sadness. Then, there are the centerpieces: Walkin’, where the woman decides it’s time to move on; Pretend I Never Happened, perhaps the coldest ending to a relationship ever written; Bloody Mary Morning, a bleary-eyed morning-after tale that became a standard; It’s Not Supposed to Be That Way, a nearly unbearably melancholy account of a love gone wrong; and Heaven and Hell, a waltz summary of the relationship. Any two of these would have formed a strong core for an album, but placed together in a narrative context, their impact is even more considerable. As a result, this is not just one of Willie Nelson’s best records, but one of the great concept albums overall’ (AllMusic).
Remastered, adding a bundle of alternate takes and versions — including rehearsal and incomplete takes, as well as false starts — only previously included in the box-set The Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings. Decent booklet, too.
First record as leader for the Mahavishnu drummer — featuring Tommy Bolin on guitar and Jan Hammer, keys — this is heavy fusion, with some deep funk. Massive Attack sampled Stratus for Safe From Harm.
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