Vinyl LP(x2) "Willie Nelson’s 1974 classic, celebrating its 50th Anniversary in March, just prior to RSD. If Shotgun Willie played a bit like a concept album, Phases and Stages was a full-blown one, tracing the dissolution of a marriage and devoting one side to the wife's perspective, the second to the husband's….Phases and Stages is easily the equal of its remarkable predecessor, a wonderful set of music that resonates deeply, as deeply as the words. Make no mistake -- the deceptively relaxed arrangements, including the occasional strings, not only highlight Nelson's clever eclecticism, but they also heighten the emotional impact of the album. And this is a hell of an emotional record, where even each side's celebratory honky tonk numbers (the medley ""Sister's Coming Home/Down at the Corner Beer Joint"" and "Pick Up the Tempo," respectively) are muted by sadness. Then, there are the centerpieces: "Walkin'," where the woman decides it's time to move on; "Pretend I Never Happened," perhaps the coldest ending to a relationship ever written; "Bloody Mary Morning," a bleary-eyed morning-after tale that became a standard; "It's Not Supposed to Be That Way," a nearly unbearably melancholy account of a love gone wrong; and "Heaven and Hell," a waltz summary of the relationship. Any two of these would have formed a strong core for an album, but placed together in a narrative context, their impact is even more considerable. As a result, this is not just one of Willie Nelson's best records, but one of the great concept albums overall. 140g black vinyl

5,125

Willie Nelson – Phases And Stages

More images

Label:	Rhino Records (2) – R1 726130, Atlantic – 603497827176
Format:	2 x Vinyl, LP, Record Store Day, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, 50th Anniversary
Country:	Worldwide
Released:	Apr 20, 2024
Genre:	Folk, World, & Country
Style:	Country