CHICAGO SESSIONS/POCHETTE GATEFOALD

Description

Take a look at the cover of Rodney Crowell's brilliant new album, The Chicago Sessions, and you might recognize a familiar nod to the legendary songwriter's beginnings in 1978. "In many ways, this album feels like that very first record to me," Crowell reflects. "When my daughter Chelsea suggested we present the work in the same way, the connection made perfect sense. There's something very simple, very innocent about it. It's just me and the band in a room together, loose, alive, and having fun." Produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, The Chicago Sessions is indeed a return to Crowell's early days in recording, but it's not a journey of nostalgia. The songs here are vital and timely, touching on everything from love and mortality to race and religion, and the performances are simply intoxicating, fueled by raw guitars, honky-tonk piano, and tight, punchy drums. Tweedy wields a light touch as a producer, his influence subtle yet undeniable, and the mixes by engineer Tom Schick are dynamic and vibrant, alternately lush and spacious in the right places with a spotlight firmly fixed on Crowell's warm, polished voice throughout. Put all this together and you get a masterful, intergenerational collaboration that manages to feel both fresh and familiar, an incisive and engaging collection that balances polished craftsmanship with joyful release at every turn.