Search - Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson :: Wwii

Well-produced WW

06/21/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Though this is a well-produced album, it suffers a little too much from the "hollywood-ization" of early-80's country music. "Mr. Shuck and Jive", written by Jimmy Webb, would be first-rate if he hadn't done virtually the same thing with "MacArthur Park" some 15 years earlier. W&W exhibit their consummate professionalism, outclassing virtually every country performer of their time. But one has to judge this album on W&W's own high standards, and this, even with 4 stars, falls a bit short due to the overdubs, somewhat insipid material ("Lady in the Harbor", "May I Borrow...", "Write Your Own Songs" [especially annoying because it sounds as if they're purposefully trying to stick it to management, when management released the song, anyway]). Covers of "The Year that Clayton Delaney Died", "The Last Cowboy Song", and "Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay" work well. Overall, a great album by most standards, but mediocre when put against other projects by the pair, either individually or as a duo."