Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Willie Nelsonis one of the most revered names in country music.
And hes prolific as hell, having released 67 studio albums since his 1962 debut.
studio albums, and I challenge you to name one.
(Ill save you the hassle: 2001sClassical Music for Babies and Their Moms Vol.
1 & 2.)
Being prolific is one thing; beinghigh-qualityprolific is quite another.
And thats where Nelson has shined.
Its not exactly a walk in the park for casual-to-moderate fans either.
Luckily, theres an easy fix.
Simply pick up a compilation album of Nelsons biggest hits and youre good to go.
Just kidding: The guy has 42 compilations albums, so youre still screwed.
Nelson didnt have enough funds to cover this reduced rate, and never quite got around to paying it.
Cause and effect: On November 9, 1990, federal agents seized all of his assets.
In reality, the story is a little more nuanced.
Unfortunately, Price Waterhouse in turn placeditsfaith and his money in a tax shelter eventually found to be illegal.
Nelson went on to sue the firm, which settled the case out of court a few years later.
However, he was still a man without money.
There was the cheeky Cmon, help me pay these guys off!
The content itself wasnt even new: These were just songs culled from a bunch of Nelsons previous releases.
The gambit came across as a government-mandated cash grab.
A contractual obligation to pay down some serious debt, and fast.
From a financial perspective, it most certainly was, and it most certainly worked.
That said, from a creative perspective, the gambit didnt work at all.
Reviews are unusually scarce: Only three exist online, totaling a mere 318 words when combined.
Which is somewhat understandable.
But as a musical achievement,The IRS Tapesrises well above the circumstances that demanded its inception.
Much of this can be chalked up to restraint.
First the financial kind: Nelson had little choice but to make this album on the cheap.
This necessity gave way to the most intimate recording of his career.
A sparse showcase of Nelsons soulful voice and his impeccable, underrated guitar playing.
Fortunately, keeping these songs out of the lineup only bolstered the validity of the final product.
Youre getting 25 Willie Nelson songs written by Willie Nelson.
With this financial restraint came a refreshing amount of personal restraint.
Popularity sells, as does familiarity.
Still, at the literal expense of his own financial self-interest, he refrained.
Instead,The IRS Tapesis a collection of lesser-known original songs from Nelsons catalogue.
Its a curious selection for an album ostensibly created to be a naked cash grab.
These are all songs connected by loss, heartbreak, redemption, and sentimentality.
(Side note: Early 1960s album titles sure loved introducing us to the artists making their records.)
The result is timeless, evocative, and at times downright haunting.
As does the below video, which remains a thing that exists.
Which brings us back to the issue of restraint.
Which benefits the album particularly well.
Theres no ironic detachment inThe IRS Tapes.
No good ol boy wink and a smile.
Plus, itll serve as a damn fine way to help get you through the day.
The rules do not specify whether or not I am allowed to listen to Willie Nelson on my headphones.
