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Countless Westerns have centered around the theme of a young turk coming into town to try to take down a legendary gunslinger. Well, for the past couple of decades, Willie Nelson has turned that imagery on its head, attracting countless younger artists eager to soak up some of his musical mojo and infuse the master's work with some of their own spirit.

Moment of Forever, matches Willie with Kenny Chesney. The very idea of these seemingly disparate characters coming together is intriguing enough on paper. What really counts, however, is how it works on disc -- and work it does, with Chesney's production bringing out Nelson's natural warmth and grace.

While he's written some of the most enduring tunes of the past few decades Nelson has long been considered one of the premiere song interpreters of his time, infusing a surprising array of tunes with his singular personality. This record includes a hushed, poignant version of the Kris Kristofferson-penned title track and a super-heated, album-closing version of Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody."

The songs that Nelson wrote for Moment of Forever take on many of the same topics addressed in that pair of tracks -- taking stock of a life well lived and considering the possibilities of what might lay down the road. On songs like the sweetly twanging "Always Now," Willie comes across like a man who's come to terms with most of those issues, coming to the conclusion that "there never was a used to be...it's always now."

Other highlights include Willie's take on Dave Matthews' "Gravedigger" and tracks like "Worry B Gone" -- where Willie trades verses with Chesney The easy vibe carries over to the gently celebratory "I'm Alive" -- on which Nelson marvels at life's simple pleasures.

www.kansascity.com:
WILLIE NELSON "Moment of Forever" (Lost Highway) 4 stars

Willie Nelson records and releases so many albums that most, even the good ones, slip by unnoticed - even by Nelson himself.

But not this time. Nelson's performing a few songs from "Moment of Forever" on his latest tour and for good reason: This is Nelson's finest recording since 1993's similarly rich "Across the Borderline." The star and his label would do well to treat this like an event record. It's that good. Don't let it go ignored.

Like "Borderline," "Moment of Forever" finds Nelson mixing stronger than usual originals with inspired covers of Kris Kristofferson, Dave Matthews, Randy Newman and Bob Dylan. There isn't a dud, but some of the new compositions stand out. The country-blues "Over You Again," written with sons Lukas and Micah Nelson, recalls U2's ringing guitar style. The reflective ballad "Always Now" could only come from an artist of Nelson's age and experience. "The Bob Song," a whimsical pirate's sea chantey cowritten by Big & Rich's Big Kenny, might be the album's love or hate track - count me among the former.

Surprisingly, "Moment of Forever" was produced by country superstar Kenny Chesney and longtime musical partner Buddy Cannon, whose own hit records have never showed this stylistic breadth and lyrical depth. Nelson's star pairings are often best avoided (the Rob Thomas-produced "The Great Divide" and the recent Ryan Adams-pairing "Songbird" are among Nelson's all-time worst albums).

Chesney, who shares lead vocals on the amusing booze homage, "Worry B Gone," provides an ear-pleasing, accessible, yet not overly slick sound stage for Nelson's strong, resonant vocals. Nelson, 74, hasn't sounded this committed in years and his distinctive renditions of Matthews' "Gravedigger" and Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody" are as revelatory as the work Johnny Cash was doing with producer Rick Rubin up to the time he died.

Pod Picks: "The Bob Song," "Gravedigger," "Over You Again."
- Howard Cohen / http://www.kansascity.com/415/story/465750.html

Ich hoffe, das wird auch in Europa noch erscheinen. Das großartige Vorgängeralbum "Songbird" gab's doch auch und das "Lost Highway"-Label ist auch bekannt in Europa.