God's Problem Child is the first independent album by Willie Nelson with original songs ever since 2014 Band Of Brothers. Actually, this ever since is a joke as three year gap between albums is a standard nowadays. Plus, If we count in cover albums and collaborations, Willie holds a tempo of at least one album per year. It is a tempo he conducted way back in the 60s when he made a transition from employed composer to full on solo performer. And he is not giving up on that even in his 84th year of life.
Last year, he released cover album of songs from Gershwin brothers and album of dedication to his friend Ray Price. What fascinates me the most (besides the fact that even two times younger colleagues can not follow his tempo) is the level of quality of all of his materials. It seems like Willie has only progressed with every year, so he drops albums where play is top notch, songs perfected and his charm is consistent and bulletproof.
Younger listeners will also not make a mistake If they meet Willie Nelson's catalogue with God's Problem Child. It is not an album of a tired old sack, rather an album of a mature man who lives life and does not let life to live him. In Still Not Dead, a playful song about modern internet deceits which promote fake celebrity deaths and alternative facts, Willie says other people think how this rhythm would kill normal human being, but no one ever accused him of being normal.
It's not that there is no melancholy, nostalgia and doleful feelings on the album. Little House on The Hill, Old Timer and He Won't Ever Be Gone are all bursting from dismal vibes. But when he wants, Willie can also give a killer comment on modern times. Delete and Fast Forward claims how humanity lives in circles comprised of trials and errors, and no matter how political context seem apocalyptic right now, things can always be turned around. On the other hand, sexy songs like True Love and A Woman's Love sound like classics. Title track also falls in this category, and here we can hear Leon Russel, another Willie's friend who recently passed away.
Willie Nelson's music is not pure country. It is more of an American cosmic music. A lot of blues, jazz and swing are to be found here. So, If you are craving for a mythical, epic sound of America, no one can give it to you better than Willie Nelson.
