music

Phosphorescent

To Willie

Phosphorescent leader Matthew Houck demonstrates the sincerity of his Willie Nelson fandom upfront—To Willie’s cover lovingly imitates Willie’s own salute to Lefty Frizzell, 1977’s classic To Lefty From Willie. Inside, Phosphorescent convincingly absorbs Willie’s songcraft into its own hushed late-night sound on surprising deep-catalog picks like “Too Sick to Pray.”

• February 9, 2009
• by Chris Neal