Willie Nelson - Phases and Stages (50th Anniversary Edition) (RSD 2024, 2LP Vinyl)

Willie Nelson’s 1974 classic, celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2024. If Shotgun Willie played a bit like a concept album, Phases and Stages was full-blown, 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, 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.

Side One Phases And Stages (Theme) [0:20] Washing The Dishes [1:22] Phases And Stages (Theme) [0:24] Walkin’ [3:41] Pretend I Never Happened [2:59] Sister’s Coming Home [1:48] Down At The Corner Beer Joint [1:57] (How Will I Know) I’m Falling In Love Again [3:25] Side Two Bloody Mary Morning [2:48] Phases And Stages (Theme) [0:32] No Love Around [1:51] I Still Can’t Believe You’re Gone [4:15] It’s Not Supposed To Be That Way [3:27] Heaven And Hell [1:52] Phases And Stages (Theme) [0:24] Pick Up The Tempo [2:41] Phases And Stages (Theme) [0:21] Side Three Phases And Stages (Theme) (Alternate Version) [2:41] Washing The Dishes (Alternate Version) Sister’s Coming Home (Alternate Version) [3:58] Down At The Corner Beer Joint (Alternate Version) Phases And Stages (Theme) (Alternate Version) [4:00] (How Will I Know) I’m Falling In Love Again (Alternate Version) Bloody Mary Morning (Alternate Version) [3:40] No Love Around (Alternate Version) [1:54] Side Four I Still Can’t Believe You’re Gone (Alternate Version) [4:15] It’s Not Supposed To Be That Way (Alternate Version) [3:16] Heaven And Hell (Alternate Version/Duet Vocal) [2:59] Phases And Stages (Theme) [3:10] Pick Up The Tempo Phases And Stages (Theme) (Alternate Version) [0:40]