Country veteran RodneyCrowell dabbles in blues and ballads on his 18th solo LP, 'The Chicago Sessions'
Rodney Crowell has done a little bit of everything over the years. He’s been a sideman and a bandleader. He’s won Grammys and various country awards, and landed No. 1 hits . He’s been a record producer for himself and others. His list of collaborators includes Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Guy Clark and, with his new album, Jeff Tweedy., Crowell’s 18th solo album, he set up at Wilco’s studio and turned over production duties to Tweedy.
Crowell’s take on “No Place to Fall” is more polished than most of the versions Van Zandt ever committed to tape, but still simple and direct. Accompanied by acoustic guitar, with piano, subtle bass and a subdued banjo interlude coming one by one as the song unfolds, Crowell captures the lonesome feeling of the tune with his worn-in tenor. It’s a moving tribute to one of the foundational songwriters of what’s now called Americana.
Elsewhere, Crowell has no thematic agenda with these songs. He’s written topical albums before, drawing from his own experience on a trilogy of LPs starting with his deeply compelling 2001 release. This time, it seems like Crowell showed up with a collection of songs showing different facets of his abilities as a writer and musician. There’s a low-key honky-tonk vibe on opener “Lucky,” which rolls along on roadhouse piano and Crowell’s jaunty vocal melody.
At least one of the songs took shape on the spot. Crowell and Tweedy co-wrote “Everywhere at Once,” and the track seems to split the difference between the two songwriters’ styles as they trade vocals, and sing in unison, on the whatever-will-be lyrics, backed by trebly guitar and rich piano. The pair strikes a balance between assertive and deferential, belting out their respective parts without stepping on the other’s toes, but the result is a song that feels lived-in and true.
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