Search - Willie Nelson :: I Let My Mind Wander

Some You Definitely Haven't Heard Before

Peter Walenta | Long Island, New York USA | 12/09/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While now overshadowed by Sugar Hill's 2003 amazing "Crazy the Demo Sessions", this fine though quite obscure 13 song record contains many original and very interesting songs from Willie's earliest recording sessions in 1961 for the small Nashville label, Pamper Music. That many of the hits from Nelson's Pamper sessions are contained on "Crazy: The Demo Sessions" and to a lesser extent on the 1989 Rhino compilation, "Nite Life: Greatest Hits & Rare Tracks (1959-1971)", in no way diminishes the shear brilliance of the songs collected on this nicely consistent 1997 Kingfisher disc. It starts out with "I Let My Mind Wander" and goes up from there with standout tracks such as "December Day", "And so Will You My Love" and "Healing Hands of Time". Nelson is captured at a prolifically creative early phase of his career. I was clued into this record by a 1997 Robert Christgau Consumer Guide review, and this disc was one of my very first online purchases from Amazon.com! Nelson had a top notch band backing him on these tracks. The sound is clean and captures the nuances in phrasing that Nelson was already employing in his relaxed style of singing that he would later develop to greater extent on his other originals and on many cover tunes. While we may never have the complete picture of the "Pamper Demos" on one disc or in one compilation, "I Let My Mind Wander" contains many great original though lesser known Willie songs that will continue to delight with repeated listening. 4 1/2 Stars only because this one lacks the big hits like "Crazy" and "Hello Walls"."