Willie Nelson, “Country Music” (Rounder)
Itap a bold name for a CD, even if your name is — “Country Music.” This songbook record of mostly covers and traditionals is an enjoyable listen but not an essential piece of your collection.
Most exciting about this new release: It pairs Nelson with legendary country/roots producer T Bone Burnett, the man behind the “O Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack and, more recently, the music behind “Crazy Heart,” which won him an Oscar.
But while their collaboration is keen, and they compliment each other with expected rootsy sass, this record still sounds padded with middle-of-the-road country- blues jams.
The stark arrangement of traditional “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down” is a more rewarding listen than Nelson’s take on the Ray Price/George Jones track “You Done Me Wrong.” Nelson’s voice is as buttery as ever, but he and Burnett could have spent more time on song selection/nuanced arrangements and come up with stronger results. — Ricardo Baca
Kate Nash, “My Best Friend is You” (Geffen)
Many of critics and fans were surprised when her 2008 debut “Made of Bricks” didn’t make her a star of Lily Allen-sized proportion. The British pop star is everything Allen is — sassy, beautiful, young, cocky, witty, bold and fearless. Like Allen, Nash also knows her way around a kicking melody and a thoughtful narrative.
But “Made of Bricks” was never a hit in the U.S. With this follow-up record, Nash gives herself more of a chance for widespread stateside recognition, but will it come?
Not likely. Nash is rougher around the edges than the airbrushed Allen. And thatap OK. Those of us who know Nash’s music are already obsessed with many of these dynamic, new pop jams. — the jittery “Take Me to a Higher Plane,” the infectious“Do-Wah-Doo,” the clever “Pickpocket.”
Yes, Nash is very young, something that shows in the moving, if a bit naïve, rant that closes “Don’t You Want to Share the Guilt?” But her winning charm and legitimate emotion save her. — Ricardo Baca
The Futureheads, “The Chaos” (Nul/Dovecot)
English rockers have returned with their fourth album, “The Chaos” -– the second on its own label, Nul Records. While itap a solid, highly listenable collection of songs, it fails to see the band make any real progress from the signature style created on their exhilarating 2004 debut.
When the energetic young quartet from Sunderland, England, first hit the scene, their jagged guitar-work, herky-jerky rhythms and manic tempos drew immediate comparisons to ’80s post-punk luminaries such as XTC, Wire and Devo. What helped the band stand apart from other retro-revivalists was their distinct Mackem accents and they way they constructed impressive three- and four-part vocal harmonies within superbly written tunes.
The band then stretched out to varying degrees on their underrated second release, “News & Tributes,” before backpedaling with 2008’s middling “This Is Not the World.”
Though it may not be as creatively challenging as one would hope for a fourth album, thankfully “The Chaos” does step things up in the songwriting department. In particular, the 1-2 punch of “The Connector” and “I Can Do That” are a dizzyingly wonderful adrenaline burst in an already vigorous run of anthemic tunes, such as the catchy single “Heartbeat Song.”
And thatap the strength of the record: listeners may be too busy singing and dancing along to notice the band has yet to really change things up. Itap not until the album’s closer, “Jupiter” — a tune as joyously proggy as it is punky — that the band switches gears. Let’s hope this forward-thinking end is a glimpse of where the future really lies for these still promising lads. — Michael Behrenhausen
Follow Reverb on Twitter! !
Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post. He is also the executive director of the , Colorado’s premier indie music festival. Follow his whimsies at , his live music habit at and his iTunes addictions at .
Michael Behrenhausen is a Denver-based writer, and occasional Reverb contributor. The worst crime he ever did was play some rock and roll.
