Those who enjoyed
Willie Nelson at his most unadorned on the IRS Tapes might also enjoy hearing the bare-bones arrangements of
The Early Years. These 14 tracks were recorded by
Nelson as songwriter demos in the early '60s, just before he signed with Liberty. At this point,
Nelson was considered more of a songwriter than a performer. Accordingly, there is a sparse feel to most of these performances, which sometimes feature nothing more than his voice or guitar. Not that there's anything especially wrong with that.
Willie re-recorded several of these tunes for Liberty and RCA, and one could argue that the arrangements were sometimes less sympathetic than the minimal backing on these tapes. While the demo ambience could be said to add warmth and character, one should also be aware that these aren't the most polished performances; perfunctory arrangements, flat production, and the occasional bum vocal phrase are also found. But fans of Nashville country without the syrup should find something to like here. It includes an early version of "I Hope So," a country hit for
Nelson in 1969, and "Undo The Right," which would be a Top Ten country hit for
Johnny Bush in 1968. ~ Richie Unterberger