Pitchfork

Between them, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price have been recording and touring for more than 150 years: Nelson made his name as a DJ and songwriter in the 1950s, when Ray was establishing his own career as a smooth crooner and Haggard was getting ready to parlay his prison experience into one of the most successful country careers of the 60s and 70s. During that time they've collaborated repeatedly, most notably on Nelson and Haggard's Pancho & Lefty in 1980 and Nelson and Price's San Antonio Rose in 1990 and Run That By Me One More Time in 2003. They're so woven into the fabric of country music and popular culture that the title Last of the Breed doesn't come off as a self-aggrandizing boast.

In fact, that title might as well apply to the 22 tracks on this 2xCD set instead of the artists singing them. Besides the two new-ish compositions by Nelson and Haggard, these songs are calculable in age by decades, credited to the swinging pens of Cindy Walker, Lefty Frizzell, Floyd Tillman, Jesse Ashlock, and Harlan Howard, among others. In such company, Kris Kristofferson, represented here by "Why Me", counts as a young buck. These are simple, direct songs with easy melodies, witty lyrics, and true-to-life sentiments-- generally perceived to be the kind spurned by mainstream country musicians. Nashville still has its share of talented songwriters, but the myth of the good ol' days is nice and reassuring, allowing listeners to disregard contemporary country wholesale.

On Last of the Breed, which accompanies a well-received joint tour with Asleep at the Wheel as their backing band, these three grizzled vets sound supremely comfortable, trading verses and songs with easy camaraderie. Even at 81, Price still sounds robust, especially on "My Life's Been a Pleasure", and the grizzled texture just adds seen-it-all authority to Merle's voice, especially on his new composition "Sweet Jesus". Willie's infamous against-the-meter phrasing has always sounded extemporaneous, as if even he doesn't know what his voice will do next; even when he slurs his lines on "My Mary" and "Mom and Dad's Waltz", he still shows an intuitively loose control that hasn't diminished with age. Their distinct voices combine gracefully on "Sweet Memories" and "I Love You Because", but they sound best on Kristofferson's "Why Me". That song has always seemed like a solitary prayer (especially on Johnny Cash's lonely American Recordings version), but sung by a veteran trio, it almost sounds like a career retrospective, as if they're humbled by their large audience, long legacies, and close friendship.

Producer Fred Foster, returning after Nelson's 2006 Cindy Walker tribute, shows a light touch on these songs, creating a light, loping backdrop that lacks the snap of his previous work. Despite the presence of a crack backing band that includes pedal steel master Buddy Emmons and backing vocals by the Jordanaires, Last of the Breed never seems as good as it should be: there are fine versions of strong songs, but not a single definitive take. "Lost Highway" comes close, as do "Heartaches by the Number" and "Goin' Away Party", but most of these songs sound like the trio are trying to re-create a style long past rather anchor these songs in the here and now. That retrospective orientation is strange because none of these artists could be accused of being stuck in the past; in fact, their willingness to adapt to new styles without compromising their standards is partly what makes them the last of their breed. So it's a shame Last of the Breed isn't better-- not only do they have a lot to say about these old songs, they also have a lot to say through them.