Throughout Willie Nelson’s long career there have been certain recordings that are absolutely pristine and beautiful. “Stardust” immediately comes to mind, so does the title selection of this latest effort: “Sometimes I think that love is somewhere/ Living on an island all alone/ I can feel it in the darkness/ I can see it in the distance/ Then it’s gone…” The combination of Nelson’s plaintive voice which resonates with quiet emotion and the unmistakable tone of Trigger, his trusty, well worn Martin Classical N-20 acoustic guitar is quite simply one of the most sublime pleasures in all of music. Nelson’s ballads here are gems, but, he’s always always had a penchant for the humorous novelty as he does here on “Big Boody.” Elsewhere, hearing Nelson coupled with Norah Jones is sweet, although the song itself is nothing special. Nelson’s pairing with Lucinda Williams on her original “Over Time” is another story. These two are a perfect match—he really understands the bittersweet ache of her lyricism. What a perfect song! The album closes with the majestic and wonderfully atmospheric “Texas” which seems to float on forever at an epic, leisurely pace. This is one of Willie Nelson’s best recent recordings.