Willie Nile - Willie Nile (1980)

Willie Nile (born Robert Anthony Noonan on June 7, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter. In 1980 Nile released his self-titled debut album which according to one critic remains “one of the most thrilling post-Byrds folk-rock albums of all time”. His early career was interrupted by various problems, but he eventually returned to recording and performing in the US and Europe, establishing himself as a respected singer-songwriter.

Willie Nile (1980) is the self-titled debut album by the New York singer/songwriter of the same name. Released by Arista in early 1980 to much critical praise , it was produced and engineered by Roy Halee and featured Jay Dee Daugherty, formerly with Patti Smith, on drums. The album immediately created a buzz among critics and quickly drew the attention of other rock stars such as Pete Townshend and The Who, who invited Nile to join them on their Summer of 1980 US tour.
When Willie Nile first appeared on the scene in 1980, some folks seemed to think he was new wave since he wrote declarative songs that were often three minutes in length, a notion that had fallen out of fashion through much of the '70s (the same thing happened to John Hiatt and Marshall Crenshaw for a spell), while others lumped him in with Bruce Springsteen and other heartland rock acts who were breathing new life into traditional rock & roll forms. With over 25 years of perspective, Nile's self-titled debut now sounds like nothing so much as a strong dose of smart but straightforward rock from a writer who is in love with words but doesn't trip over them as he lays them out. Willie Nile is a lean and wiry set, with the singer brimming with energy even when he slows down the tempos on songs like "They'll Build a Statue of You" and "Across the River" or strips the arrangement down to a single acoustic guitar on "Behind the Cathedral," and when Nile and his band opens up on the edgy "Old Men Sleeping on the Bowery" and the witty "She's So Cold," this is great stuff, with literate but street-smart lyrics, hooky and muscular tunes, and a tight, simpatico band bringing it home. If the album has a flaw, it's the production and engineering from Roy Halee. While Halee's approach is thankfully unobtrusive, the sound is a bit too thin to give the music the force and body it needs (especially the electric guitars), and some of the tracks sound more like demos than finished product. Still, Willie Nile documents some great performances of 11 fine songs, and was an impressive debut for this underappreciated talent.

01. "Vagabond Moon"  - 4:07
02. "Dear Lord"  - 2.54
03. "It’s All Over"   - 3:34
04. "Across the River"  - 4:17
05. "She’s So Cold"   - 2:37
06. "I’m Not Waiting"  - 2:35
07. "That’s the Reason"  - 2:27
08. "They’ll Build a Statue of You"  - 3:38
09. "Old Men Sleeping on the Bowery"   - 3:33
10. "Behind the Cathedral"  - 3:06
11. "Sing Me a Song"  - 5:23

all songs written-by Willie Nile

Personnel
Willie Nile – Electric and Acoustic guitar, piano, vocals
Clay Barnes – Electric Guitar, background vocals
Peter Hoffman - Electric Guitar
Tom Ethridge - Bass
Jay Dee Daugherty – Drums, Percussion
Mark Johnson – Background vocals

Production
Producers - Roy Halee
Engineering - Roy Halee
Remixing - Phil Jamtaas, Record Plant, Los Angeles
Mastering - Greg Calbi, Sterling Sound, New York, NY
Cover photo - Christine Olympia Rodin
Photography - John Noonan, Ron Kellum
Art Direction - Ron Kellum

Notes
Released:  February, 1980
Recorded:  Record Plant - New York, NY
Genre:  Rock
Length:  38:38 LP

Label - Arista Records