Last Leaf On the Tree (Amber 2LP)

Willie Nelson is now in his 7th decade as a songwriter, performer and recording artist, but one of his most underrated talents is song interpretation. Over his career he has tackled songs from across the world of music, making each his own. Now for his 76th studio album and 153rd album overall as he celebrates his 91st year, Willie turns his gaze to a collection of songs by rock legends, idiosyncratic singer songwriters, alt-rock heroes and indie folk artists. The result is a gorgeously cohesive rumination on loss, love and world-weary hope, perfectly complemented by spare and spooky musical production. Lovingly curated and produced by his son Micah Nelson, Last Leaf On The Tree finds Willie covering songs from moody indie rock (Beck), psych alt-pop (The Flaming Lips) and punk-informed folk (Sunny War, Micah’s Particle Kid) to thought-provoking soul jazz (Nina Simone) and lesser known gems from legends like Tom Waits, Neil Young, Keith Richards and Warren Zevon. In addition, the album features new takes on one of Willie’s oldest songs (“The Ghost” from 1962) plus a new one penned with Micah (“The Color Of Sound”) that joins Willie’s collection of Zen-soaked classics. In addition to producing, Micah Nelson plays many of the instruments and even designed the album cover. He is joined by a host of celebrated musicians plus guest spots from legendary producer and musician Daniel Lanois, John Densmore of The Doors and harmonica master Mickey Raphael, who has played alongside Willie for over 50 years.