08-11-2025, 22:05
Willie Nelson - Workin' Man: Willie Sings Merle
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With Willie Nelson's newest album, the most impressive thing is his longevity in the music industry, with this serving as what I think is his 103rd album (damn!). ... and now, let's be honest and cut the crap. Does Willie serve any spot in the industry that needs to be filled? I mean, the short answer is no. The long answer is that Willie Nelson has said what he's said; even in his most recent country albums he's still had things to say and substance left in the bank, but now on this it feels like Willie's pushing out more albums for whatever purpose. I mean, Willie has passion in what he makes, and I appreciate how everything is so enjoyable for him to craft. I mean, it's what he loves, and I love hearing some of what he makes, but c'mon… there's no need to sugarcoat the situation here; he's definitely left behind a mark on the industry, but this album is essentially like comparing Ringo Starr's most recent to the Beatles' Abbey Road --- it not only doesn't compare in terms of popularity, but Willie is just feeding us the same things that we know, and that's in all 11 songs. This album wasn't an unpleasant experience; in fact, these songs are quite fine and decent to listen to, but this review doesn't need to dig deeper than calling out the stale acoustic patterns and boring progression throughout the project. The real saver here is the theme of loss throughout the albums, which makes the album have a lot more purpose and helps on songs which make you a bit tired of the project.
FINAL SCORE: 7.2/10
Track ratings:
1. Workin' Man Blues - 7.4/10
2. Silver Wings – 7.2/10
3. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down - 7.4/10
4. Today I Started Loving You Again - 7.2/10
5. Swinging Doors - 7.1/10
6. Okie From Muskogee - 7.1/10
7. Mama Tried - 7/10
8. I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink - 7/10
9. Somewhere Between – 7.2/10
10. If We Make It Through December - 7.3/10
11. Ramblin' Fever – 6.5/10
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With Willie Nelson's newest album, the most impressive thing is his longevity in the music industry, with this serving as what I think is his 103rd album (damn!). ... and now, let's be honest and cut the crap. Does Willie serve any spot in the industry that needs to be filled? I mean, the short answer is no. The long answer is that Willie Nelson has said what he's said; even in his most recent country albums he's still had things to say and substance left in the bank, but now on this it feels like Willie's pushing out more albums for whatever purpose. I mean, Willie has passion in what he makes, and I appreciate how everything is so enjoyable for him to craft. I mean, it's what he loves, and I love hearing some of what he makes, but c'mon… there's no need to sugarcoat the situation here; he's definitely left behind a mark on the industry, but this album is essentially like comparing Ringo Starr's most recent to the Beatles' Abbey Road --- it not only doesn't compare in terms of popularity, but Willie is just feeding us the same things that we know, and that's in all 11 songs. This album wasn't an unpleasant experience; in fact, these songs are quite fine and decent to listen to, but this review doesn't need to dig deeper than calling out the stale acoustic patterns and boring progression throughout the project. The real saver here is the theme of loss throughout the albums, which makes the album have a lot more purpose and helps on songs which make you a bit tired of the project.
FINAL SCORE: 7.2/10
Track ratings:
1. Workin' Man Blues - 7.4/10
2. Silver Wings – 7.2/10
3. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down - 7.4/10
4. Today I Started Loving You Again - 7.2/10
5. Swinging Doors - 7.1/10
6. Okie From Muskogee - 7.1/10
7. Mama Tried - 7/10
8. I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink - 7/10
9. Somewhere Between – 7.2/10
10. If We Make It Through December - 7.3/10
11. Ramblin' Fever – 6.5/10