Reviews have been justifiably glowing for Phosphorescent’s To Willie–where Matthew Houck opted to guzzle moonshine, smoke sinsemilla and record 12 Willie Nelson covers. Ostensibly.
In his review, Ex-Stylus comrade and current Pitchfork staffer, Josh Love does an exceptional job of sketching Houck and To Willie’s strenghs: “He does a couple of things extremely well, and to his immense credit he spends most of To Willie working in those veins. As he’s demonstrated over the course of Phosphorescent’s three very fine LPs of original songs, Houck is a master at conveying weariness, desolation, and spiritual hunger, often through a cracked, warbling bleat. That open-throated yelp is absent here, but Houck’s keen understanding of fallenness and deliverance suffuses almost all of the album’s best efforts.”
And if you don’t like deliverance, you may be missing a paddle or two.
Amazon: Phosphorescent-To Willie
Download:
MP3: Phosphorescent-“Reason to Quit”
From Pride
MP3: Phosphorescent-“A Picture of Torn Up Praise”
