Description
It’s surprising that there has not been a Willie Nile tribute album up to now. Recording since 1980, he is probably the strongest bridge between Springsteen and The Clash.
He’s recorded and performed with everyone from Elvis Costello and Ian Hunter to Tori Amos and Lucinda Williams. Forty years later, he finally gets a proper tribute in Willie Nile Uncovered, a solid, double album that vacillates from decent to great, given the cover.
The album, 26 tracks total, will see a portion of the proceeds benefit the hunger relief charity Rock Can Roll. Among the highlights here are an impressive cover of “All God’s Children” from Nils Lofgren; Graham Parker’s brilliant take on “One Guitar;” and the two strongest tracks, “Everybody Needs A Hammer” by Annie Mark and “When the Last Light Goes Out On Broadway,” a devastatingly beautiful rendition from Lucy Kaplansky.
Not every name here is well known—in fact, aside from Parker, Lofgren, and John Gorka, most come from deep in the roots rock/folk world, a pretty disparate mix of veterans and up-and-coming musicians. Most tribute albums tend to find the artists playing it safe, turning in songs pretty true to original. And while not every track on Willie Nile Uncovered quite lives up to the appeal of the original, there are more than enough bright spots here to impress.
