If I Was A River Willie Nile

1. If I Was a River
2. Lost
3. Song of a Soldier
4. Once in a Lullaby
5. Lullaby Loon
6. Gloryland
7. I Can't Do Crazy (Anymore)
8. Goin' to St. Louis
9. The One You Used to Love
10. Let Me Be the River

In his three and a half decades as a recording artist, Willie Nile has earned a reputation as both a fiercely committed rock 'n' roller and a singularly insightful songwriter. It's Nile's introspective side that fuels If I Was A River, a deeply compelling ten-song collection that diverges from his usual sound, while affirming the remarkable melodic and lyrical skills that have long endeared the artist to his passionately loyal fan base. In contrast to the rousing, guitar-based rock 'n' roll that's been the focus of the dozen albums that he's released since 1980, If I Was A River features ten stirring original compositions on which Nile accompanies himself on piano, with sparse arrangements that keep the focus firmly on the songs and Nile's deeply felt performances. That stripped-down, piano-based approach is one that Nile has explored on various tracks over the years, but never for the length of an entire album. However, in the wake of the warm public reception that greeted his 2013 release American Ride -which won some of the most enthusiastic reviews of his career and was voted "Best Rock Album of the Year" at the Independent Music Awards - Nile was ready to explore some new creative options. "I've wanted to do an album of piano songs for some time," he says. "I've got drawers full of songs of all kinds, but these piano songs are close to my heart, and it felt like it was the right time to let them out. I love the simplicity of just sitting at a piano and singing a song, and I first started out in music playing the piano. Sometimes less is more, and this just seemed like one of those times."