Heroes
Nearing 80 years old, Willie Nelson is at an interesting juncture in his career. He\'s earned the right to make country music the way he remembers it—with a lilting Texas swing in its step—and he does. Nelson was also the great country artist who never let genres stop him. His *Stardust* collection made the crossover from country to pop standards feel as natural as breathing. So it really shouldn\'t be that much of a surprise when Nelson invites his son, Lukas, to sing on the majority of the record (he deserves co-billing), or when he enlists the help of Snoop Dogg and Kris Kristofferson to croon on \"Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.\" Nelson the songwriter and Nelson the interpreter have made him Nelson the legend. No matter who\'s joining him here or whose song it is, the performances stand on their own; Coldplay\'s \"The Scientist\" and Eddie Vedder\'s \"Just Breathe\" become every bit Nelson tunes. Fiddles, acoustic guitars, and pedal steel all combine with that iconic voice to make a classic country album.
For all of Willie Nelson’s many talents, he’s never developed any semblance of an internal editor.
Neil McCormick finds Willie Nelson's album Heroes has a last-will-and-testament quality.
A likeable grab-bag of songs fields Forties favourites, Coldplay and Snoop Dogg, and introduces Nelsons Jnr. CD review by Jasper Rees