Willie Nelson 'Phases and Stages' 2LP – 140g black vinyl LP labels, CMYK Black poly sleeves Double pocket gatefold jacket, prints 4/0 with Matte UV on heavyweight board Shrink wrap Marketing sticker.

Willie Nelson’s 1974 classic, celebrating its 50th Anniversary in March, just prior to RSD If Shotgun Willie played a bit like a concept album, Phases and Stages was a full-blown one, tracing the dissolution of a marriage and devoting one side to the wife's perspective, the second to the husband's….Phases and Stages is easily the equal of its remarkable predecessor, a wonderful set of music that resonates deeply, as deeply as the words. Make no mistake -- the deceptively relaxed arrangements, including the occasional strings, not only highlight Nelson's clever eclecticism, but they also heighten the emotional impact of the album. And this is a hell of an emotional record, where even each side's celebratory honky tonk numbers (the medley "Sister's Coming Home/Down at the Corner Beer Joint" and "Pick Up the Tempo," respectively) are muted by sadness. Then, there are the centerpieces: "Walkin'," where the woman decides it's time to move on; "Pretend I Never Happened," perhaps the coldest ending to a relationship ever written; "Bloody Mary Morning," a bleary-eyed morning-after tale that became a standard; "It's Not Supposed to Be That Way," a nearly unbearably melancholy account of a love gone wrong; and "Heaven and Hell," a waltz summary of the relationship. Any two of these would have formed a strong core for an album, but placed together in a narrative context, their impact is even more considerable. As a result, this is not just one of Willie Nelson's best records, but one of the great concept albums overall.

This Record Store Day title will only be available to buy in person from 8am on Saturday 20th April from our Cambridge store.

There are no preorders or reservations available for any RSD title.

Should we have copies left in stock, they will be onsale here from Monday 22nd April from 8pm.