Willie Nile: “New York At Night” (2020) CD Review

There may not be much cause for celebration these days, what with the coronavirus outbreak and the country being in the hands of a racist game show host who seems bent on getting thousands of citizens killed, but one thing we can always celebrate is the release of a new Willie Nile album. And New York At Night is a fantastic disc, featuring all original material, written or co-written by Willie Nile. With this release, Willie Nile again proves he is one of the absolute best artists going these days. No matter your disposition in these rather dark times, some of these tracks are going to make you feel like celebrating, I promise. There is a rock ‘n’ roll party going on in this album, to be sure, but that doesn’t mean it is lacking in other areas, such as powerful and moving lyrics, humor, passion and that great dose of humanity that touches us all. Willie Nile delivers another excellent set of songs, this new album perhaps being the medicine we are all in need of.

The album opens with “New York Is Rockin’” and this song is rocking. If you are looking for some true rock and roll to raise your spirits, here you go. You are going to love this song. And hey, if it weren’t for the coronavirus, this one might make you want to gather in the streets to dance. There is even a section with vocals and percussion, like all the great rock songs from my youth. The lyrics are as fun as the music, with lines like “Wall Street is dressing up in old blue jeans/They’re jumping at the Garden for the New York Knicks.” This song is a celebration of the city, and all things we think of in relation to it. I love it when he yells, “Taxi!” That’s followed by “The Backstreet Slide,” which has a bluesy rock sound to start, and Willie’s vocals have a sly quality, with those lines about “a gentle hand/Or a cattle prod” immediately grabbing me.  He really knows how to pull listeners in. The song kicks in to become a cool, mean and timely tune, delivered with that great attitude that Willie Nile is so damn good at. “A climate change freeze/Or a presidential con/It doesn’t really matter/What side you’re on.” And check out these lines: “We’re all going down/One way or another/Tell your new best friend/Tell your sister and brother.” Those lines certainly have a dire vibe, but then Willie offers this: “We do our best to find our way/All around the world/There are songs to be sung.” Indeed.

“Doors Of Paradise” opens in a mellower place, drawing us in. When it kicks in, this song has more of a pop feel, and features some compelling lyrics. “You can break my heart/With a careless phrase/You can twist and turn/In so many ways/But the one who gets hurt/Is the one who pays/The doors of paradise swing both ways.” That’s followed by “Lost And Lonely World.” From the moment it opens with that great vocal section, this track seems a call to rise, a call to lift our chins and sing out. This is another strong track with a steady beat and excellent lyrics. Here is a taste: “You think you’re at the movies/You’re talking to the screen/You’re acting like the cover of a monster magazine/Take me far away/I don’t want to stay/I can’t anyway/In your lost and lonely world.” And another line that strikes me each time is “You’ve got me disappearing just like the ozone.” Seriously, this is a really good song. The entire album is fantastic, but this song in particular stands out for me.

The guitar part at the beginning of “The Fool Who Drank The Ocean” announces it as a rock song, and we are certainly not disappointed. This tune has a driving beat and more good lyrics. “I found success as a slave/But for a moment could you refrain from/Dancing on my grave.” Then in “A Little Bit Of Love,” Willie sings “We will watch the crazy world go by.” Yes, it is a love song for today. We always need love songs, and this one in particular should reach a lot of people. Plus, it has a Hamlet reference in the lines “Every dog gonna have his day/Equal rights with equal pay/From Times Square to the Milky Way/Every dog gonna have his day.” The line from Hamlet is “The cat will mew and dog will have his day.” And how can you help but feel good when Willie sings “A little bit of love goes a long, long way.” This is one of my favorite tracks.

“New York At Night,” the album’s title track, is another delicious rock tune, kicking off with a good beat. There may not be a party right now in New York, but it won’t be long before denizens of that city will be gathering together again. “There’s a party going on/You can hear the heartbeat/New York at night/New York at night/Everything’s all right.” The song is a celebration, and even those of us who might not care for New York are going to get caught up in its joy and excitement. “If you’re feeling blue, you won’t be for long.” That’s followed by a gorgeous song titled “The Last Time We Made Love,” his vocals backed by some gentle and beautiful work on piano. And by now it should come as no surprise that this song features some remarkable lyrics, with lines like “Our tongues were trading tender riddles with the wine” and “My ocean trembles every single time you sigh/Our bodies moving with no reason to ask why” especially standing out. Then “Surrender The Moon” bursts in and within seconds has me smiling for the pure joy of its sound. I love this song’s humor and energy. Check out these lines, the first of the song: “You’re boring/You’re dull/She hates you/Oh well/You moron/You fool/You know it/That’s cool/Surrender/The moon.”

Willie slows things down again with “Under This Roof,” which begins on acoustic guitar. This is a beautiful song offering comfort and companionship. “There will be times when darkness comes around/When all of your faith comes tumbling down/When heartache appears and gravity falls/Know there is a place behind all these walls/Under this roof, my arms will find you.” I love this song. He then returns to rock with “Downtown Girl,” a celebration of a different sort. In this song he sings, “we can watch the crazy world go by,” a line similar to that in “A Little Bit Of Love.” Is it a theme? It is certainly a theme for a lot of us these days. The album then concludes with “Run Free,” a tremendously appealing song that celebrates a sense of freedom. And though we can’t physically be running free at the moment, in our minds we are traveling by leaps and bounds, and this song certainly aids us in that. It is a strong conclusion to a powerful album.

CD Track List

1. New York Is Rockin’
2. The Backstreet Slide
3. Doors Of Paradise
4. Lost And Lonely World
5. The Fool Who Drank The Ocean
6. A Little Bit Of Love
7. New York At Night
8. The Last Time We Made Love
9. Surrender The Moon
10. Under The Roof
11. Downtown Girl
12. Run Free

New York At Night is scheduled to be released on May 15, 2020 on River House Records.