The Day The Earth Stood Still
River House, 2021
10/10
Listen to The Day The Earth Stood Still
A fixture of the New York City rock’n’roll scene for decades now, the veteran troubadour Wille Nile’s returns with this 14th studio album, where the desolate streets of his home during lockdown provided fodder for one of his best records to date.
The title track starts the listen with gritty guitar work as Nile’s rugged yet tuneful pipes guide the driving pace of folk rock that’s got some punk spirit, too, and “Sanctuary” follows with a punchy and anthemic delivery that’s not short on melody and embraces strategic organ and piano.
The always impressive Steve Earle is in attendance on “Blood On Your Hands”, where a thumping version of roots rock makes a big impact in a soulful sort of way, while “Expect Change” enters darker territory amid a stylish rocker that showcases playful bass work. “I Don’t Remember” then goes the other way with a calm acoustic guitar before building into a warmly textured climate.
Further down the line, “I Will Stand” offers a ballad like climate of poetic song craft, and “Way Of Heart” exits the listen with emphasis on keys alongside Nile’s wise and reflective singing that you can’t help but be drawn to.
A powerful and intimate affair, people like Springsteen, Townshend and Bono are all fans of Nile, and it’s easy to see why; the guy can write a song you won’t forget anytime soon. Here there’s 11 of them, and let’s hope that the pandemic that inspired the record can let up so he can get out and play these rock’n’roll gems live.
Travels well with: Jesse Malin- Outsiders; Dave Alvin- From An Old Guitar: Rare And Unreleased Recordings