Rodney Crowell - The Chicago Sessions

140-gram gatefold LP

10-song set produced by Jeff Tweedy and recorded by Tom Schick

The cover of Rodney Crowell's brilliant new 2023 release is a familiar callback to the legendary songwriter's 1978 debut.

"In a lot of ways, this album feels like that very first record to me," Crowell reflects. "When my daughter Chelsea suggested we lay the artwork out similarly, 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 and live and having fun."

Produced by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, The Chicago Sessions is indeed a throwback to Crowell's early days of making records, but it's no nostalgia trip. The songs here are vital and timely, touching on everything from love and mortality to race and religion, and the performances are nothing short of intoxicating, fueled by raw guitars, honky-tonk piano, and tight, punchy drums.

Tweedy wields a light touch as a producer, his influence subtle yet unmistakable, and engineer Tom Schick's mixes are dynamic and alive, alternately lush and spacious in all the right places with a spotlight fixed firmly on Crowell's warm, weathered vocals throughout. Put it all together and you've got a masterful, cross-generational collaboration that manages to feel both fresh and familiar all at once, an incisive, engaging collection that balances careful craftsmanship with joyful liberation at every turn.

 

Lucky

Somebody Loves You

Loving You Is the Only Way to Fly

You’re Supposed to Be Feeling Good

No Place to Fall

Oh Miss Claudia

Everything at Once [ft. Jeff Tweedy]

Ever the Dark

Making Lovers Out of Friends

Ready to Move On

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