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The Little Willies
One thing you'll have to admit - the Little Willies sure do have spunk.....
Oh my God, I've resorted to writing pornography for my album reviews. Nevertheless, I stand by my statement. I myself am a big fan of the two Norah Jones albums, but even I must admit that they sometimes sound like the work of a somnambulist, and I occasionally grow tired of defending her from friends who think her albums are just too damned boring. The Little Willies should put a whole new spin on their impressions, though. Consisting of Norah Jones with a crackerjack four-piece band of musician friends including her cohort Lee Alexander, this album is a relaxed but spirited affair, combining an underlying sense of humor layered over some deeply satisfying rhythmic grooves.
The band utilizes a loose-limbed, rootsy, swingtime feel that is perfectly complementary to their choice of material. Jones shares the lead vocal work with guitarist Richard Julian, and they both do a great job of capturing the joy in the band’s playing. The songwriting is quite good also, but the emphasis here is on the cover versions, some instantly recognizable, and some obscure (at least to me they are), including a song by Townes Van Zandt, another by Kris Kristofferson and two(!) by Willie Nelson (hence their name?)…
…Which naturally brings me to the most obvious of questions - What self-respecting male would admit to being in a group called the Little Willies??? Norah Jones has nothing to lose (so to speak), but her three bandmates might find themselves getting a wee bit defensive, attaining fame with a sorry name that implies a one-time, tossed-off affair (among other things). It would be a shame if that were true because while this disk is similar to Norah Jones’ solo releases in many ways, it is also superior, so here’s hoping that we will be hearing more from the Little Willies…
...even if that band name is a tad unfortunate.
Grade: 
 
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