Description:
Too long in the making, but totally worth the wait, Streets Of New York is Willie Nile`s first release since 1999`s Beautiful Wreck Of The World. The record kicks of with the catchy and clever "Welcome To My Head" which introduces you to a variety of characters (Busby Berkeley, Frankenstein, The Dali Llama, John Paul Sartre) attending the party in his mind. If some artists save their catchiest song for the opening track, Nile got this one right for sure. But as the album progresses you discover he could have started a dozen records with all the gems that make up this 14-track disc. His Ian Hunter-meets-Paul Westerberg vocal is most commanding, full of sly `n` wry wit and soulful conviction. Not to mention a compelling marriage of both well-read and street-wise prose where lyrics are concerned. Throw this down over punchy pop and roots influenced rock, or the occasional "Jersey-style" ballad, and you`ve got music that sounds compelling. With nods to Dylan ("Back Home") and The Clash ("When One Stands", "Police On My Back"), Nile exhibits a respectable span of influence that, along with a kick-ass band, defies sounding dated. The streets of New York have a voice in Willie Nile. -- Robinson, Miles Of Music (00:02:59)
